Editor’s note: This story was inadvertently omitted from our Sept. 17 newspaper. It will be published in our Sept. 24 newspaper, along with a story and photos from this week’s action.
The Rockbridge County High School volleyball team suffered a pair of marathon losses to Shenandoah District foes last week, falling by 3-2 scorelines at home to Fort Defiance and on the road against Waynesboro.
On Tuesday of last week, the Indians (5-0, 4-0 district) squeaked past the Wildcats (3-3, 1-3) in a 5-set thriller in Lexington.
Maecy Ann Frizzelle totaled 23 kills – including Fort’s final three points of the night – along with 13 digs and four aces to pace her team in a 20-25, 25-20, 21-25, 25-21, 16-14 nailbiter. Alexis Miller posted 41 assists, nine digs, four blocks and two kills for the Indians, and Annalee Halterman finished with eight kills and eight digs.
Jada Hamilton registered a double-double for RC, tallying 14 kills and 12 digs to go along with three blocks. Cesi Beidle collected 12 kills and a match-high seven aces, Maisen McKemy notched 32 assists, Ava Crocker amassed 20 digs and two aces, and Mackenzie McCormick had eight kills, three blocks and three aces for the ’Cats.
The Indians, who finished as the Virginia High School League Class 2 state runners-up in 2024, were just a little bit more effective at the crucial stages of the match.
“That team’s a state championship [caliber] team for a reason,” RC head coach Gabe Wagner said. “They’re very well coached, very disciplined. I thought that they were just better than us in tight moments at the end of the fifth set, at the end of the fourth set.”
With the opening set tied at 14-14, RC used a 4-1 stretch that featured three of McCormick’s kills to go in front for good at 18-15. While Fort closed to within 18-17 on kills from Frizzelle and Halterman, a block and an ace from McCormick helped the ’Cats hold off the charge.
The Indians leapt out to a 7-2 advantage in the second frame. RC battled all the way back to knot things up at 17-17 on consecutive Hamilton kills, but a 4-0 mini-run from Fort – which included a Caroline Hanger kill and a Frizzelle ace – proved to be decisive.
The visitors built up a 16-11 edge midway through the third set, only to see the Wildcats come roaring back. RC turned the tide with an 11-2 spurt that featured two kills from McCormick, a kill and an ace from Beidle, and one kill and two blocks from Hamilton.
Beidle, who notched two aces in each of the final three sets, had a great night both at the net and behind the service line.
“I thought she was able to create a unique look that teams just aren’t seeing,” said Wagner, referring to the wicked topspin on Beidle’s jump serve. “It helps that she’s got a cannon for an arm.”
Fort led wire-to-wire in the fourth stanza, building up a 12-5 lead on a block from Hanger and Livia Clinedinst. Although the ’Cats eventually narrowed the margin to 18-17 on another Beidle ace, the Indians held on to force the tiebreaker set.
The drama was just beginning at that point. A kill and back-to-back aces from Beidle helped the Wildcats open up a 7-3 lead early on, but Frizzelle responded with an identical three-point stretch to pull the Indians to within 7-6.
After an Emmy Duff kill put RC ahead 10-8, four straight Fort points – including a pair of aces from Autumn Weber – gave the Indians a 12-10 edge. The momentum turned again when kills from Beidle and McCormick helped the Wildcats fight back to knot the score at 13-13.
Frizzelle’s 21st kill of the game made it 14-13. Although a service error canceled out Fort’s first match points, two more kills from the senior outside – including an out-of-system swing assisted by libero Norah Anderson on match point – allowed the Indians to escape with the win.
Savannah Whitmer contributed 17 digs to RC’s defensive effort, and Hayley Higgins notched 12 digs. Duff ended the match with five kills and three blocks.
Fort got seven kills and three blocks from Savannah Crookshanks, along with seven kills and two blocks from Hanger. Clinedinst tallied five kills and three blocks, and Anderson added 12 digs and four assists.
The Wildcats hope to learn some valuable lessons from competing in such a high-level clash in early September.
“You can only get better by playing hard teams,” Wagner said. “It’s good to see that competition – that our girls play consistently hard volleyball. Iron sharpens iron.”
RC then lost 3-2 on the road against Waynesboro (4-5, 2-1) on Thursday. Further details about the match were not provided to The News-Gazette by press time.
