For the Daily Journal
Hannah Smith’s serve doesn’t look overpowering from the sideline, but it’s a different story when it’s coming right at you.
Indian Creek coach Andi Ferris said the Braves see it every day in practice. Edinburgh learned all about it Thursday while hosting Smith and the Braves.
Smith finished with a whopping 11 service aces, and Indian Creek controlled the match most of the time when she served. Smith’s serving and some strong front-row play enabled the Braves to defeat the host Lancers, 25-20, 25-17, 25-14.
Smith was IC’s first server in the second set, and she staked the Braves (7-8) to an 11-0 lead. She served up five aces during that stretch, and Edinburgh (4-12) struggled to handle several other serves.
In the third set, Smith took over serving duties with the Braves holding a tenuous 11-10 edge. She delivered three more aces while helping to build a 19-10 advantage.
“It’s just mentality,” Smith said of her serving prowess. “I just focus on my confidence, and my team supported me a lot, and they really encouraged me.”
Ferris said Smith’s serves are deceptively tough to handle.
“It’s so close to the net, it’s hard to read where it’s coming,” Ferris said. “She’s pretty good at yo-yo-ing it, and putting it where we need it to go, short and long. She’s been a great, consistent server this year.”
Indian Creek’s front row of freshman middle hitter Faith Wiseman and senior outside hitter Ava McClanahan took advantage of their height edge to control the net most of the match.
“Every day, I see improvements in Faith,” Ferris said. “She hasn’t been playing as long as some of the other kids on the varsity, but she’s such a sponge. Ava’s been solid for us all year long. She’s so consistent with what she does.”
As for Edinburgh, the Lancers believe they’re continuing to build the program’s upward trajectory. They’re fielding a junior varsity team after not having enough players to do so in recent seasons; they didn’t even have enough players to field a sectional squad in 2018.
They stayed competitive with the Braves, building leads of 6-2, 11-8 and 15-13 in the first set before IC seized control. They took a 4-1 lead in the third set and trailed just 11-10 before Smith’s serving effectively sealed the match.
“We see glimpses of getting better,” Edinburgh coach Jamie Turner said. “We’re young, we’re kind of rebuilding with the program. We’re still perfecting our serve receive. In the next couple of years, we should have something for everybody.”
Turner lauded the play of setter Alyssa Funkhouser and sophomore Gracie Crawhorn. The Braves took command of the first set when Funkhouser had to briefly exit after a minor injury, scoring eight of the set’s final 11 points.
IC is off until next Thursday, when it hosts Edgewood. Edinburgh hosts North Decatur on Monday.
