- September 18, 2024
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Carley Bandell (12) and Olivia Chase (7) warmup before the Five Star volleyball tournament opening round against New Smyrna Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze watches as New Smyrna Beach warms up before the first game of the Five Star volleyball tournament. The Cudas are defending champions. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze volleyball team salutes the flag during the national anthem before playing against New Smyrna Beach in the Five Star tournament. Photo by Michele Meyers
Cuda Abrie Green is introduced before New Smyrna Beach plays Seabreeze in the Five Star tournament opener. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze captain Andie Litz serves the ball in the first round of the Five Star volleyball tournament against New Smyrna Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze captain Andie Litz (right) with the save in the first game of the Five Star volleyball tournament against New Smyrna Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze captain Peyton Hebert (center) attacks the net as New Smyrna Beach players Emma Jandrew (2) and Megan Lee (4) go up for the block. Photo by Michele Meyers
Lilli Litz (center) returns the serve by New Smyrna Beach as teammates Adeline Bethea (left) and Bella Tedesca move in to assist. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze captain Peyton Hebert (11) launches the ball over the net during the game against New Smyrna Beach in the first round of the Five Star volleyball tournament. Photo by Michele Meyers
Sandcrabs Andie Litz, (4), Andeline Bethea, Bella Tedesco (1) and Haven Price (right)celebrate teammate Peyton Hebert 's (second from right) 'kill' in the first round of the Five Star volleyball tournament against the Cudas. Photo by Michele Meyers
Hew Smyrna Beach player Emma Jandrew (right) goes up for the hit against Sseabreeze blockers Carley Bandell (left) and Peyton Hebert (11). Photo by Michele Meyers
Sandcrab Bella Tedesco (1) returns the serve by New Smyrna Beach in round one of the Five Star volleyball tournament. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze captain Andie Litz returns the ball in the first game of the Five Star volleyball tournament against New Smyrna Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
New Smyrna Beach player Bailey Jones (right) is number one on her team for serving aces. Photo by Michele Meyers
New Smyrna Beach players Teagan Lux (8) and Lily Schlageter (3) challenge Seabreeze outside hitter Adeline Bethea (left) in the first round of the Five Star volleyball tournament. Photo by Michele Meyers
New Smyrna Beach player Bailey Jones (right) goes up for the hit against Seabreeze blockers in the first round of the Five Star volleyball tournament. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze player Adeline Bethea (left) goes up for the hit against New Smyrna Beach blockers in the first round of the Five Star volleyball tournament. Photo by Michele Meyers
Cuda middle blocker Emma Jandrew goes up for the hit against Seabreeze players Lilli Litz and Adeline Bethea (8) during the first game of the Five Star volleyball tournament. Photo by Michele Meyers
Peyton Hebert (left) and Pearl Kelly (right) go up to block a hit by New Smyrna Beach in the first round of the Five Star volleyball tournament. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze players enjoy a moment together after playing against New Smyrna Beach in the first game of the Five Star volleyball game. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Cudaas celebrate after their 3-0 win against Seabreeze in the first game of the Five Star volleyball tournament. Photo by Michele Meyers
New Smyrna Beach volleyball players are all smiles as they congratulate Seabreeze players after the first game of the Five Star tournament. Photo by Michele Meyers
New Smyrna Beach player Anistyn Pride (center) hits the ball as Amiah Hives (left) and Savannah Toler (right) prepare to assist during the game against Seabreeze. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze captain Peyton Hebert. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze player Alex Dingman keeps the ball in play during the game against New Smyrna Beach. Photo by Michele Meyers
New Smyrna Beach libero Sofia Mackin attempts to keep the ball in play during the ggamea gainst Seabreeze. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze squared off against No. 3 seed New Smyrna Beach in the first round of the Five Star Conference volleyball tournament on Monday, Sept. 16. The Sandcrabs rallied in the third set, but the Barracudas finished the sweep, 25-11, 25-20, 25-22, at the New Smyrna Beach gym.
There were three other first-round games on Sept. 16 with No. 1 seed DeLand, No. 2 Spruce Creek and No. 5 University advancing with New Smyrna Beach to the semifinals. The Five Star tournament continued Sept. 17 with DeLand and Spruce Creek advancing to the Sept. 19 championship final.
Seabreeze head coach Janet Bruce is in her second season coaching the Sandcrabs. She said she and her players came into the New Smyrna Beach game “hopeful but realistic.”
“We knew this was going to be practice,” she said. “We know (in the Sept. 17 consolation bracket game against Taylor) we are going to have a great show at our home court.
The Sandcrabs came through with a 3-1 win over Taylor to advance to the consolation final against Flagler Palm Coast at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, at the Bulldogs gym.
“The girls had a great time out here today,” Bruce said after the New Smyrna game. “Honestly, they know New Smyrna is amazing, and they came out here and they just wanted to have fun. A few girls got to play positions they normally don’t get to play.”
Seabreeze captain Andie Litz had seven kills, three aces, eight assists, three blocks and 10 digs. Fellow captain Peyton Hebert had five kills and two blocks. Ordinarily, Litz is a setter, but Bruce has given her the opportunity to be a hitter. Now, she is one of the top hitters on the team.
Against Taylor, Litz had 10 kills, 10 digs and 20 assists.
We have to always respect our opponent because everybody is giving their best effort every single night. The best respect you can give your opponent is your best effort.”
— ALVARO SANCHEZ, New Smyrna Beach volleyball coach
“We knew (New Smyrna Beach) was going to be a tough match,” Litz said. “We were mainly looking forward to getting to play an experienced team — a good team like that. We knew it was going to be difficult, but we liked the challenge. We play club with some of the girls, so we know how they play but overall we were just her to have fun.”
New Smyrna Beach head coach Alvaro Sanchez is going into his sixth season with the ’Cudas. He led New Smyrna to the 2022 Class 6A state championship.
He has been coaching volleyball for 21 years and is currently working at DME Academy in Daytona Beach. He said from a “joy standpoint” his team this season is one of the most enjoyable he has ever worked with.
“They really work together as a team,” he said. “No one person is way more important. We have some phenomenal leadership with our captains — Megan Lee, Bailey Jones, Lily Shlageter. The coolest part about tonight was we were able to run up the score a little bit and that gave us enough cushion to put everybody in.”
New Smyrna Beach is the defending Five Star Conference tournament champion. Sanchez said teams always enjoy getting a win against the ’Cudas.
“We have to always respect our opponent, because everybody is giving their best effort every single night,” he said. “The best respect you can give your opponent is your best effort.”
Sanchez said Seabreeze was not an easy win. Quite a few Sandcrabs play club ball with his players and have played for him before. He said they are young but did a great job.
“Right now, the girls gel together, they have fun, they build each other up and you don’t see any arguing,” Bruce said. “Moving forward into the tournament, they will have to work on their serve receives. Other than that, they do very well. They are going to have a great time the rest of this week in this tournament.”
