Lady Indians volleyball take second title in two years

KEYSTONE HEIGHTS - Keystone Heights High's volleyball team, led by Abi Loose as middle hitter, dominated the district 4-5A slate to the tune of an unbeaten 4-0 district record and a 14-4 overall season record.

After taking the 4-4A title in 2015, then winning the newly-structured 4-5A title in 2016 with the same two teams; Bradford and Interlachen, as their district opponents, Keystone Heights twice ran into the region blockade of Episcopal High as their first round region opponent. Both times, two losses.

In 2016, Loose, a senior, unloaded with 181 kill scoring points to lead the Lady Indians with Kaitlyn Cline second on the list with 144 to forge a double threat at the net for coach Nikki Jolley. Loose was top hitter in 2015 with a team-leading 134 kills.

Freshman Emily Loose put her name in the hat of being the next big hitter for the Indians with her own 94 kills at the net and impressive total for a young player.

Abi Loose's top games for the year started in game one with 17 scoring points against Orange Park and including games of 15 kills against Interlach and 14 kills twice; once against St. Johns Country Day School and one against Bradford in the district final.

The Lady Indians opened with three straight wins; Orange Park, Eastside, and Columbia before losing to Oakleaf in September. The nemesis for the Lady Indians were the Lady Spartans of St. Johns Country Day School who won two non-district games over the Indians.

As the playoffs loomed near the end of the season, the Lady Indians went on a seven game win streak that ended with their region quarterfinal loss to Episcopal (3-0).

In the blocks department, junior Emily Pressley led the Indians with 29 hits at the net with Cline at 25 for the year.

In the defensive backfield, senior libero Jordan Jennings dug up 205 shots from enemy netters to lead the Indians with Abi Loose also adding 118 saves off the back line.

Senior setter Anna Wilkes controlled the ball flow with 367 assists with an average of nearly 10 points scored off her feeds per game. Emily Loose had 222 assists. Wilkes led the Indians in 2015 with 221 assists.