ACE volleyball rolls to Round 1 playoff win over Jasper Co.

When Lonnie Wheeler took over the varsity volleyball program at ACE last May, he knew there’d be a notable adjustment.

“There are different components: the serving part, the attacking part, the digging part,” said Wheeler, promoted from the JV head coaching job. “It took half a season to fit them into the system I wanted exactly.

And the transition was evident throughout the season, though less and less with each outing.

Finally, he watched the Gryphons play like they’d had Wheeler in charge for more than just a few months.

No. 4 ACE was in control most of the time while dispatching Jasper County in three sets (25-11, 25-17, 25-11) Wednesday night in the first round of the GHSA Class A volleyball state tournament.

“What you saw tonight was sort of the culmination of getting everybody in the right role,” Wheeler said. “Volleyball is like any other sport, up and down, roller coaster ride, where there’s a high point and a low point.

“Our low points are not very low, and our high points are more sustained.”

ACE, which is at home on Saturday against the winner of Haralson County and Taylor County, improved to 25-11 while Jasper County’s second season as a full varsity program ended at 12-12.

The Hurricanes put forth a good showing in their first playoff trip — they  were certainly loose, between dancing to music or poking fun between sets at an awkward lost point.

“They were having fun, and that’s all I could ask for,” Jasper County head coach Ashleigh Kelley said. “The fact that we were even able to make it … we were No. 29 (in postseason rankings) and that was even better than I could ask for.”

But they held their own, especially in the second set.

“There was a lot of back and forth,” Kelley said. “Which was good. We need that competition.”

ACE pulled away from a 5-5 first set as Jasper County worked to get settled and find some consistency.  ACE  reeled off a string of points with Jessica Cohen serving, and Slayton Marbut started to show her impact and power at the net.

The Hurricanes were in a big hole in the second set, trailing 12-4 before clicking better in all phases. Different Jasper County players came up with digs and saves to keep points alive long enough to win them.

That and some patience and finesse at the net — with some soft tips — suddenly had the Hurricanes within 12-10.

Jasper County got to within 22-17 before ACE finished it. The third set had the same score as the first set but more resembled the second.

Scout Jones had four assists in the first set and Kate Thomason four digs for ACE.

Catrece Donaghy served six aces and had six digs in the second set, with Marbut strong at the net with six kills and 11 attacks.

Donaghy and Madison Edwards each had four digs in the finale, an efficient set for ACE with Jasper County battling but unable to take advantage of much.

Jasper County was without its top server, so adjustments were necessary.

“We did a lot of subbing and switching,” Kelley said. “So I thought they played fantastic for where we had to put them.”

The Hurricanes got good efforts from Selena Harvey, Riley Holland, Elizabeth Roberts, and Cierra Peters, among others.

ACE beat Jasper County 26-24 and 24-17 on Sept. 30.

“We prepared as if  it was the state championship,” Wheeler said. “Hopefully that showed a little.”