Entering the playoffs, Academic Magnet Volleyball completed their regular season with a record of 15-1, their only loss to AAAA Summerville.  Winning the regular season, the team was seeded #1 in region VI.  After two playoff wins under their belt, defeating both #5 Marion and #2 Batesberg-Leesville, the Lady Raptors advanced to the district round of playoffs.  The team faced #1 Johnsonville from region VII and won in an intense 5 set game.

Johnsonville took the first set 25-22.  The Raptors rallied back, crushing Johnsonville in the second set 25-10.  In the third set, Johnsonville answered with a 25-20 win and then Magnet took the fourth set 25-18.  Tied at 2-2 sets, the captains and coaches from each team met with the referee to decide the serving team and sides with a coin toss.  The Raptors’ fearless captains Blake Bernard and Gabi Rauls won the coin toss and chose to serve to Johnsonville.  Within the first few points of the fifth set, the Raptors fell behind, leaving the score at 6-11.  After several rallies were won by Magnet, the score was equalized at 12-12 and again at 14-14.  The fifth set is played until 15 points but the team must win by at least two points.  The Raptors took the next point but then Johnsonville fought back.  After two consecutive points, Magnet won 17-15.

Magnet’s win against Johnsonville clenched their spot in the semifinals of the State Championship (Lower State) and also earned them the title of District Champions.  This is the first time since 2009 that Magnet Volleyball has won both the Region and District and are now advancing to the semifinal round.  The team will be traveling to #1 Silver Bluff in Aiken on Monday, November 7, 2016.

The seniors on the team are looking forward to the games to come, as they know this is their last season of high school volleyball.

• Senior captain Blake Bernard is the defensive specialist on the team, as she is the libero. (She must wear a contrasting jersey color from his or her teammates and cannot block or attack the ball when it is entirely above net height. When the ball is not in play, the libero can replace any back-row player, without prior notice to the officials)
• Senior captain Gabi Rawls is very positive about the upcoming games, stating, “We are not intimidated by anyone, but we respect their skill.”
• Isabel Eicher, another starting senior, also looks forward to the new competition. She is prepared for her famous dive and roll to dig of any ball.
• Senior English Laserna, known for her towering height, will definitely be ready to soar above the net to spike the ball faster than most.

The talon staff wishes the best for the team as a whole as they journey to state on November 12^th.