Lady ‘Toppers Hungry For More After State Tournament Appearance – TricitiesSports.com
by STEVE WILMOTH
TriCitiesSports.com
August 16, 2021
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Science Hill Lady Hilltoppers made just their second state tournament appearance last season and first since 2007.
With four returning starters and five seniors, the defending district and regional tournament champions are looking for a repeat trip.
“This group is hungrier now because they’ve been there,” said coach Laura Cook. “Once you get there and see it, that’s what you are working towards. You want to go back.
“So the girls are really putting in the work. They want to be here and work hard. They are all in.”
But getting there won’t be easy and won’t come without a major change in the offensive philosophy.
Long a 6-2 proponent, Cook will turn the offense over to 6-0 senior setter Kinley Norris in a 5-1 rotation.
“I’m a 6-2, so it’s out of my comfort zone, but Kinley is a senior veteran and she’s going to run it for us this year,” explained Cook. “She makes really good decisions, tries to run a deceptive offense and spread the wealth across the net antenna to antenna.
“Now we are working with her trying to be even more of an aggressive weapon. We are excited to see what she does.”
Norris has more timbers than a sawmill at her disposal as well, including 6-2 senior middle blocker Jordan Hallman, 6-0 freshman middle blocker Addison Stables and 6-1 sophomore outside hitter Autumn Holmes.
“We’ve got some height,” smiled Cook.
Hallman went down with an ankle injury in the first match of last season and was replaced by Holmes. When Hallman returned, Holmes slid outside, where she’ll stay this year.
“Jordan brings enthusiasm to the position and provides a huge block,” noted Cook. “She talks and sees the court well and can really put in down. When she went down last year, Autumn came in and when Jordan came back, we moved Autumn outside and she was seamless. She can play anywhere.”
Junior Natalie Delaune will step into the other outside hitter spot with junior Maddie Fuller playing right side and some back row. Junior Lia Gay will also see time as a defensive specalast.
The unquestioned leader on the back row is senior libero Lexi Kalogeros.
“Lexi is our captain back there,” added Cook. “She’s gritty, she reads, she anticipates, she’s always moving. She covers a lot of ground. Just invaluable last year.”
Other Lady ‘Toppers looking to play a role in earning another state tournament bid include junior setter/defensive specialist Olivia Kneisley, junior defensive specialist Marin Ross, junior outside hitter/defensive specialist Hannah Kneisley, junior right side/setter Meaghan Kanady and senior rightside Sydney Berg.
“Everybody wants to do that again and I think it’s definitely possible,” Cook said. “They know how hard it is and how hard you have to work. We are still becoming more cohesive and just learning how to play next to a few different people.”
2021 Science Hill Lady Hilltoppers
1 – Lexi Kalogeros, L, SR
2 – Olivia Kneisley, S/DS, JR
3 – Marin Ross, DS, JR
4 – Maddie Fuller, RS/DS, SR
7 – Jordan Hallman, MB, SR
8 – Hannah Kneisley, OH/DS, JR
9 – Meaghan Kanady, RS/S, JR
10 – Sydney Berg, RS, JR
11 – Lia Gay, DS/OH, JR
12 – Kinley Norris, S, SR
13 – Natalie Delaune, OH, JR
14 – Autumn Stables, MB, FR
15 – Autumn Holmes, OH/MB, SO
2021 Science Hill Lady Hilltoppers Schedule
August
17 – @ Elizabethton, 6:30 p.m.
19 – West Ridge, 6:30 p.m.
20 – Showdown at the Sunsphere
21 – Showdown at the Sunsphere
24 – Dobyns-Bennett, 6:30 p.m.
26 – Jefferson County, 6:00 p.m.
27 – Gate City, 6:00 p.m.
30 – Tennessee High, 6:30 p.m.
31 – A Daniel Boone, 6:30 p.m.
September
2 – @ David Crockett, 6:30 p.m.
3-4 – Chattanooga Choo-Choo Classic
7 – Sullivan East, 6:30 p.m.
9 – @ West Ridge, 6:30 p.m.
14 – @ Dobyns-Bennett, 6:30 p.m.
16 – @ Gate City, 6:00 p.m.
18 – Mountain Empire Classic
21 – Daniel Boone, 6:30 p.m.
23 – David Crockett, 6:30 p.m.
25-26 – Heffstrong Tournament, Hoover, AL
27 – @ Unicoi County, 6:30 p.m.
28 – @ Sullivan East, 6:30 p.m.
October
4-8 – District 1-AAA Tournament @ David Crockett
12 – Region 1-AAA Tournament
14 – Class AAA Sectionals
19-21 – TSSAA Class AAA State Tournament
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