STANTON DEFEATS LEE IN DISTRICT QUARTERFINALS

FABRIZIO GOWDY | OCTOBER 13, 2020 | SPORTS

The Stanton College Preparatory School Blue Devils varsity girls volleyball team defeated the Robert E. Lee High School Generals 3-0 at home Monday night to advance to the district semifinals.

Stanton won the first set 25-12, and while both sides made several errors, it was the Generals who allowed the Blue Devils to go on a decisive 14-2 run. Senior middle hitter Victoria Rinaman, who led Stanton with 17 kills, had several good touches, finding the gaps in the Lee defense and expertly placing the ball where the generals could not return it.

Stanton got off to a shaky start in the second set. Lee captured a four point lead after a 9-0 run, forcing Stanton Head Coach Tangela Ennis to use a timeout. 

“We were down in the second set because we got too comfortable, thinking it would be easy to win, but Lee had all the energy and excitement,” said Rinaman. “We all collected ourselves and went out with a changed, positive mindset, wanting to win.”

The Blue Devils scored six straight coming off the timeout, but were unable to shake the Generals. A pair of aces and a key block by a Lee outside hitter kept the Generals in pace with the host Blue Devils. Nine ties and seven lead changes later, Lee led 25-24 and had a match point serve. Backed into a corner, Stanton scored three straight to win an exhilarating 27-25 set.

"When we were in trouble in the second set, we shifted our mindsets," said senior libero Leah Christie. "We realized that Lee wasn’t to be underestimated, and we needed to start fighting."

After falling behind 8-1 to start the third set, Lee rallied to take a 14-12 lead. The Generals briefly looked poised to force a fourth set, but quickly fell apart. The Blue Devils came away with a 25-17 win and a 3-0 sweep.

Having eliminated the Generals, the Blue Devils now move on to play the Orange Park High School Raiders at home Tuesday night, with a chance to advance to the district championship game on the line.