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The Hayesville volleyball team is 15-0 this season. Players are Emily Thurmond (seated). Front row, left to right: Tori Combs, Kaci Fields, Lindsey Davis, Maddie Payne, Lexie Patterson and MaKayla Anderson. Back row, left to right: Savanna Annis, Whitney Baldwin, Meredith Reynolds, Kimonta Lloyd, Gabby Seibert and Megan Woody.
HAYESVILLE – Hayesville coach Tammy Dills called a timeout Sept. 8 not to berate her volleyball players, but to see what their were made of.
It was revealing.
The Yellow Jackets (15-0, 8-0) came from behind to beat Murphy in five sets. They were losing two sets to one and 24-20 in the fourth before Dills’ timeout.
Twelve days later, Hayesville’s back was against the wall again. The Yellow Jackets spotted Swain County a two-set lead in Bryson City and eventually won in five.
“Sometimes I underestimate them,” Dills said.
“I think to myself, do I give them enough credit? You realize that God has really given them a gift. They’ve shown me their character. They will not give up. They’re an aggressive group, but mellow. They get excited, but not too excited. It’s been great to watch them grow up, especially the seniors.”
Indeed, there are five seniors who have been together since the fifth grade when their skills were very under-developed. Those 12th graders are Kaci Fields, Lexie Patterson, Maddie Payne, Whitney Baldwin and Lindsey Davis.
Payne has more than 1,700 career assists and 430 this season to go along with 92 digs, 47 kills and 36 total blocks. Patterson is leading the way in kills with 125. She also has 146 digs, 112 total blocks and 29 aces. Other statistical leaders are Kimonta Lloyd (88 kills, 132 total blocks), Davis (84 kills, 94 digs), Baldwin (57 kills, 18 aces and 57 total blocks), Savanna Annis (82 kills and 108 total blocks) and Emily Thurmond (125 digs and 16 aces).
Dills is a 1990 Hayesville graduate who has coached her alma mater for 13 seasons (not concurrently).
The Yellow Jackets are no one-year wonder either – their JV team is 14-0 this season. Hayesville returns to action Monday with a nonconference match against Smoky Mountain.
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The Hayesville volleyball team’s seniors.
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