LP’s Walter notches 1,400th career set assist as Athletics win 8th straight

Published 9:59 pm Monday, October 13, 2014

Lyle-Pacelli's Madison Truckenmiller tries to make a block against Randolph's Samantha Bey in Lyle Monday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Lyle-Pacelli’s Madison Truckenmiller tries to make a block against Randolph’s Samantha Bey in Lyle Monday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

LYLE — While most of the members of the Lyle-Pacelli volleyball team might consider basketball their first sport, the squad showed it takes volleyball pretty seriously as well when it swept Randolph by scores of 25-19, 25-19, 25-15 in Lyle Monday.

Lyle-Pacelli's Courntey Walter tips the ball against Randolph in Lyle Monday. Walter has more than 1,400 career set assists after Monday's match. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Lyle-Pacelli’s Courntey Walter tips the ball against Randolph in Lyle Monday. Walter has more than 1,400 career set assists after Monday’s match. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

The Athletics (14-9 overall, 11-3 SEC) clinched their second straight SEC West title out-right with the win and LP junior setter Courtney Walter now has more than 1,400 career set assists.

“It’s great to [win the SEC] again,” Walter said. “We do put a lot of work into volleyball, maybe not as much as we do for basketball, but it’s still huge for us. I had no idea I was even that high [in set assists]. It feels great to accomplish something like that.”

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Walter had 28 set assists on Monday and Sarah Holtz hammered down 15 kills. Holtz, a junior, has spent the majority of her volleyball career playing with Walter and the two have been firing on all cylinders this season.

“Courtney is amazing,” Holtz said. “She’s an outstanding setter and she’s a really good teammate. If I tell her to set higher, she’ll do it and she’ll take any criticism and use it to get better.”

The Athletics have now won eight straight matches and the team will play at Mabel-Canton in the SEC title match Tuesday at 7 p.m. LP head coach Lindsay Leif said her squad has learned to play through struggles as she hasn’t had to call a timeout once during the winning streak.

Lyle-Pacelii's Faith King makes a dig in Lyle Monday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Lyle-Pacelii’s Faith King makes a dig in Lyle Monday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

She also said that Walter has had a great career as a setter.

“It’s been a lot of fun to kind of watch Courtney grow as a player,” Leif said. “We run a five-one and she’s pretty much touching every second ball for us. It doesn’t matter who our hitters are, it’s got to touch our setter’s hands first. She’s been a huge key to our success this year.”

Madison Truckenmiller had 14 kills for LP on Monday and Bethany Strouf had eight kills and 14 digs.

Holtz said winning the second straight SEC West title is a big deal for the Athletics.

“It’s amazing. I feel like we’re building a legacy,” she said. “Year to year we get better. Basketball is our sport, but volleyball is really important to us too and this is a big accomplishment.”

LP stats: Sarah Holtz, 15 kills, 14 digs, 14-for-14 serving, 3 aces, 10-for-11 serve receive; Madison Truckenmiller, 14 kills, 7 digs, 9-for-9 serving, 10-for-11 serve receives; Bethany Strouf, 8 kills, 14 digs, 13-for-13 serve receives, 15-for-15 serving, 3 aces; Courtney Walter, 28 set assists, 4 digs, 3 ace serves; Brooke Walter, 7 set assists, 6 digs, 2 aces, 15-for-16 serve receives; Lucy Nelson, 7 digs; Faith King, 12 digs, 4-

Lyle-Pacelli's Sarah Holtz tries to hit past Randolph's Samantha Bey in Lyle Monday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Lyle-Pacelli’s Sarah Holtz tries to hit past Randolph’s Samantha Bey in Lyle Monday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

for-4 serve receives