While the attention of Ware County High School has been focused on Friday nights under the lights at Memorial Stadium, the Lady Gators’ volleyball team under coach Alesia Gibson has quietly been making big strides. The team is led by its senior captains: outside hitter Jayme Russell and the team’s setter, Kiersten Moye.
“We’re the best of friends,” Moye said. “We do everything together.”
They are similar in many ways. They are close in height – Russell is 5’7″ and Moye is 5’8″ – and they each have a 3.8 GPA. Both play tennis for the Gators, and both got started in volleyball their freshman year when they were called upon by then-coach Gina Howell, now an assistant principal in the school system, who was hoping to build her junior varsity program. “Jayme and Kiersten are leaders on and off the court,” Gibson said. “They are always positive and never have a negative word about anyone or anything.”
After they joined the team, they were put to work. “Ninth grade year I was pulled up from JV to play on the varsity,” Russell said. “One of our main middle hitters got her thumb dislocated, so our coach called me to go in. Of course I am a tiny ninth-grader, so I totally freaked out.” Moye also started on the varsity her freshman year and called it a learning experience. “It made me have to step up to the plate because I didn’t want those tall girls mad at me,” Moye said.
Over the years, Russell (number 4) and Moye (number 8) developed their skills, attending camps and learning new techniques. Moye has always been able to serve but learned proper techniques and procedures at camps. Now in their senior year, both are humbled by the title of team captain. “It’s scary to have people look up to you because you never want to disappoint anybody,” Russell said.
Their leadership was called on this season during a match against the Statesboro Blue Devils. The team embedded down to start the match, and it showed as they fell 25-14. “We got our butts kicked the first game,” Russell said. “They wore us out.” With strong serves by Moye, the Lady Gators came back to win the second game, forcing a third and deciding game. “I’ve never felt us click as good as we did the third game,” Russell said. Ware County pulled away and won the final game 25-17 to win the match.
Both young ladies have developed a love of volleyball and enjoy playing the sport with a group of people with whom they have become close. They enjoy the speed and coordination the game requires and, of course, the thrill of the kill. “There are no words to describe how you feel when you get up,” Russell said of smashing the ball over the net for a point. “It’s kind of like waking up on Christmas morning.” While Russell is the team’s biggest hitter, Moye is the go-to server and leads the team in aces this season.
The future is wide open for both ladies. Russell wants to become a Physical Therapist while Moye is still undecided on what she wants to study in college. For now, they will enjoy their time at Ware County High School. Both girls agree that this is their best year. Once the regular season is complete, the Region 2-AAAAA volleyball tournament is scheduled for Statesboro on Oct. 8.
ITG Web Content
Volleyball Captains Lead the Way
Written by Rob Asbell
Photo by Alesia Gibson
