This year’s edition of the Summerville High School volleyball team can be best characterized as bewitched.
The Green Wave team has seen some unusual twists of fate and fortune in what has turned into a roller coaster ride of a season.
Despite returning four letterman from last year’s Region 8 championship team, the squad entered the 2009 season as one of the most inexperienced units in years. In addition, one of the mainstays in the middle, Whitney Palmer, missed much of the season due to illness.
More recently, senior co-captain Alex Graham, who has played a significant role as a middle blocker and scorer for the team, sprained her ankle in a freakish accident and isn’t sure when she will be able to return to the lineup.
However, the team has not folded.
Senior co-captains Kaitlin Sullivan and Darielle Scott have provided increased leadership, lending a strong hand of assurance to the less experienced players on the team. Their energy, maturity and strong serving skills have helped steady the ship.
The versatile setting skills and overall play of sophomore Taylor Horton is improving week to week. And last, but certainly not least, the team’s heavy hitter is truly coming on strong.
Junior sensation Elizabeth Miler has fully embraced the role of being the Wave’s primary scorer. Last year, Miler was named one of the top 75 sophomore players in the nation by prepvolleyball.com. A two-time CAWS 4-A All-state nominee and selection to the prestigious Charleston Optimist Club All-star Volleyball team, Miler knocked down 17 kills in a match against Hanahan Sept. 30.
With her torrid hitting and scoring percentage in wins over Hanahan and Sumter in the tri-match, Miler showed why she is ranked as one of the top three players in the state according to scouting reports. Selected by the High School Sports Report as the top freshman and sophomore player in the state the past two years, Miler now has her sights set on leading the team towards another run deep into the state playoffs.
Of course, volleyball is a team sport and past success doesn’t guarantee future performance. The good news for the Wave is when its members play together and click on all cylinders, as they did the last couple of weeks, the young but energetic bunch can hold is own.
Last week, the team dropped a match to Berkeley, but bounced back with wins over Battery Creek and Colleton County. The Wave defeated the Dolphins 25-22, 25-20. Then Summerville downed the Cougars 25-8, 25-3 to improve its season record to 9-9.