This fall 2016 season, the AMHS varsity volleyball team is off to a promising start.  With 8 returning players, the team was already familiar with one of their toughest opponents scheduled for the second game: Hanahan High School.  Isabel Eicher and Gabi Rauls started for the second year in a row as the team’s outside hitters, with Blake Bernard switching from her previous right side position to picking up the responsibilities of the libero* after the loss of the late, great Bridget Tunney (she’s not dead, just a college student now). In addition t

o seniors Bernard, Rauls, and Eicher, juniors Semaj Fielding (RS)*, Bryn Gerding (MB)*, and Caroline Mitchum (S)* and sophomore Rion Brown (MB)* helped the Raptors take the first set against Hanahan.

After the losses of the next two sets, the Raptors were down 2-1 to the Hawks; game 4 would decide if Hanahan won or if Magnet would survive to play a fifth set to 15.  Rallying to beat Hanahan, AMHS took the fourth and fifth sets.  This 3-2 win against the AAAA Hawks marked the start of a very promising season for Magnet’s volleyball team.  The team, in addition to the eight returning players, has six new players including lone freshman setter Julia Spencer.  Bernard says of the team, ” We are all like biscuits; we play light and fluffy like biscuits,”.

Riding the wave of victory from their wins again Charleston Math and Science and Hanahan, the Raptors went on to win their next six games and remain undefeated with a 8-0 record.  Their season isn’t over yet though; the Raptors will face tough competition against AAAA Summerville on September 26th and Battery Creek on October 3rd.  Depending on their record at the end of the season, the Raptors will advance to the playoffs.  Last year, the volleyball team moved up until the the

quarterfinals of the state tournament.  With such a promising start to the fall 2016 season, AMHS’s favorite volleyball team is looking to advance even further in the playoffs this year.  In order to be a part of this historical season, be sure to stop in and watch a game; the schedule can be found under the Sports Center tab of the Talon, which is run by the team’s biggest fan Potter Seibels.  See you there!

*Volleyball Lingo 101:

Libero- specializes in defense, can only play in the back row, often known as “the player with the different colored jersey”

OH-Outside hitter, usually plays all the way around and hits from the left side of the front row

RS-Right Side hitter, can play all the way around or only in the front row and hits from the right side of the court (also known as an “opposite hitter”)

S- setter, there is always at least one setter on the court at a time and usually takes the second touch; “sets” up the hitters

MB- middle blocker, hits from the middle of the front row and usually does not play back row; the libero will often play as the MB during the back row part of the MB’s rotation

Game- one game consists of two teams playing the best 3 out of 5 sets; each set is to 25 points and it must be won by 2 or more points