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Five friends share volleyball triumph

By TERRY JONES
Published November 11, 2005

SEFFNER - Since elementary school, the five seniors on the successful Seffner Christian Academy volleyball team have been close friends.

They played on the same club volleyball team, played basketball and softball together and shared meals at each other's homes. They plan to attend Florida College in Temple Terrace together and play volleyball there.

With only nine players on the Seffner Christian Crusaders team, the five seniors had to carry a big load. They set goals and encouraged the four underclassmen teammates to achieve them.

The Crusaders completed their season 23-4 and became the first team from the school to make it to the regional semifinals.

Crusaders coach Mary Beth Varner speaks of the season with pride.

"With only nine players, everyone had to do their part," Varner said. "They never gave up. In the regional quarters, they were down 23-16 in the first game, but came back to win 28-26 and won the match in three games. That is the way they played all season. They just never gave up."

None of the Crusaders is especially tall. Outside hitter and team leader Rachel Parimore is 5-5, and the other team leader Jessy Leggatt is 5-10. Yet both intimidate opponents when their feet leave the floor. .

Parimore leads the team in kills, with 170. Leggatt is close, with 160.

Varner said Leggatt is verbal on the court, encouraging her teammates to put more into the game. Parimore is a quiet leader, who sets an example by going high and smashing the ball.

The other three seniors are setter Ashley Cunningham, middle hitter Caitlin Baird and outside hitter Katie Bull.

Cunningham averaged 27 assists per game. She set the ball, set the plays and was the court general for the team.

Bull and Baird were aggressive front-row players. Baird averaged 10 blocks per game and Bull averaged six.

Holly Barber, a junior front row specialist, averaged five blocks per game.

Kayla Brandt, another junior, is a defensive specialist for the Crusaders. She averaged 15 digs per match.

Freshman Jenny Moorer, the youngster on the team, was the most consistent server.

Ashley Monteiro, a junior, played wherever needed and provided depth for the team.

"Even when it looked like they were out of it, they would battle back to win," Varner said. "These girls have been close friends for years and knew how to read one another. They made volleyball fun for themselves, the fans and me. I couldn't be prouder of the success they recorded this season."

[Last modified November 10, 2005, 09:34:06]