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Area teams set for state volleyball duel
By FRANCINE KING, The Times-Union
Nov 19, 2008
Class 4A state volleyball semifinal
Bishop Kenny vs. Nease
When: 10 a.m. today.
Where: The Lakeland Center.
Outlook: The North Florida teams haven't faced each other this year, but they're familiar with this round of the playoffs. Bishop Kenny is making its fourth consecutive final-four appearance, and Nease is making its third trip in a row. Both teams use a balanced attack with three players posting more than 200 kills: Kyndal Eppley, Amanda Liguori, and Jennifer Renaker for Bishop Kenny; Chelsea Kirschman, Jordan Cangelosi and Taylor Permenter for Nease.
Bishop Kenny and Nease haven't met on the volleyball court this year.
But their players have.
Twelve players from the two teams, which will face off today in the Class 4A state semifinals in Lakeland, participate in the Jacksonville Junior Volleyball Association.
Bishop Kenny senior Kyndal Eppley played earlier this year with Nease's Chelsea Kirschman and Jordan Cangelosi on the JJVA 17 national team.
Crusaders juniors Amanda Liguori and Jennifer Renaker played on the JJVA 16 national team with Nease's Holland Hoefnagel, Mariah McCallum, Taylor Permenter and Kamryn Sherman.
And Panthers sophomore Jamie DePriest played with Bishop Kenny's Cari Whitmire and Havey Baer on the JJVA 15 national team.
"They know each other very well and respect each other," Nease coach C.J. Sherman said of the Kenny and Nease players. "I know my girls are very excited because they genuinely love and care about some of these girls on [Bishop Kenny's] team, and they would love to see them play well. Of course, we're not going to say we don't want to win. But we would love for it to be a good match."
Sherman also is an assistant coach on the JJVA 17 national team.
With the way the two programs have played this season, a good match today could almost be guaranteed. Both teams have a wealth of talent, and both Sherman and Crusaders coach Suzanne Winkler said they never know on any given day which of their players will step into the spotlight.
"We never know who's going to have the high kills of the game or the high digs," Winkler said.
Both teams had to rely on their depth during the season to overcome a succession of injuries. Winkler said she believes her team is better for facing those difficulties.
"The laundry list is huge," she said. "We've had everything from ankles to wrists to concussions to knees, you name it. We've definitely been beat up this year.
"At the same time, that allowed a lot of other players to grow in different positions and different skills. As hard as it was, we've made it this far."
So has Nease, despite facing its own adversity, from injuries to car-accident scares to family tragedy among its players.
"We've had numerous things that could have knocked this team down and took them out, but they've just rallied around each other," Sherman said. "They believe in themselves, and they believe in each other. ... They want to have fun and push themselves together, so that they can achieve whatever's out there for them."
What's out there today is a battle against some familiar faces.
francine.king@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4372
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