- September 16, 2024
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Matanzas players celebrate during their match with FPC. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas seniors Ashley Sampselle and Faith Purvis go up for a block. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Analise Smith sets for a teammate. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas sophomore Keri Petro gets ready to serve. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Haley Sobin serves for the Pirates. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Analise Smith serves for the Pirates. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Spectators at the FPC-Matanzas volleyball game on Aug. 28 pose for a photo. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas freshman Analise Smith (22) sets for a teammate. Photo by Brent Woronoff
The Matanzas volleyball team had its best season in school history last year, winning 21 of 27 games. But the Pirates didn’t make the playoffs.
Trying to take the next step in program history, coach Dawn Moses improved the team's strength of schedule by several notches.
After sweeping county rival Flagler Palm Coast on Aug. 28, the Pirates played six games in two days Aug. 30-31 at the Nike Tournament of Champions Southeast at the Alachua County Sports and Events Center in Gainesville. The tourney featured some of the top teams in several states including Alabama, Georgia, Texas and Florida. The Pirates finished 2-4 in the tournament to drop their overall record to 4-5.
“I would have been thrilled to come out 3-3,” Moses said. “Some of the teams were great. We didn’t get blown out. We played some good volleyball. It’s good for the kids to see we’re capable of playing at a different level. We have about five kids who have played this level. For the younger ones and the kids who don’t play club ball, it was a different learning experience, a faster paced game.”
The schedule doesn’t get much easier. Matanzas hosts Gainesville, the ninth-ranked team in Class 5A, on Sept. 10. Tocoi Creek, ranked 17th in Class 6A, visits on Sept. 24. And they meet New Smyrna Beach, ranked seventh in Class 5A, on Sept. 25 at DME Academy in Daytona Beach.
“You have to see that level to play on that level,” Moses said. “The kids have to be ready to play every night and play the whole match.”
The Pirates hope the tougher schedule will prepare them for their district tournament at the end of the season. Their district is tougher than ever with three of their opponents (Oviedo, East River and Lake Howell) ranked among the top 12 in Class 6A.
Matanzas is ranked 41st in 6A. The Pirates did get a strong win with a 2-1 victory over No. 30 Gainesville Buchholz in the Nike tournament.
“Middle’s definitely a position of energy. ... I’m just trying to continue that energy in every match and every game.”
— ASHLEY SAMPSELLE, Matanzas middle hitter
Junior Rylan Miller, who is one of the top liberos in the nation and has already committed to the University of Georgia, said the Pirates have a lot of new players this year and they are still learning how to play together.
“We’ve gotten a lot better with the time we’ve spent together,” Miller said after the FPC match. “We’re working on hitter-setter connections, and back row defense and where we're supposed to be and just building relationships on the court but off the court too.”
Moses said senior middle blocker Ashley Sampselle had the best match of her career against the Bulldogs with five kills and three of the team’s five blocks.
“It was nice to see her come out and have good timing on her blocks and be ready to attack,” Moses said.
Sampselle said she was happy to finish her career against the Bulldogs without a loss. Matanzas has now won nine straight against FPC dating back to 2019.
“Obviously, it's always great to beat a rival and to do it in a clean sweep is just the cherry on top,” Sampselle said. “Middle’s definitely a position of energy. So just playing somebody that you get really fired up for definitely helps. I’m just trying to continue that energy in every match and every game.”
