The Sonic Drive-In Player-of-the-Game for Tuesday, September 18, is Kyleigh Beecham of the Gainesville volleyball team.
The senior helped lead the Hurricanes to a 5-set victory against rival Buchholz. Gainesville rallied from a 2-1 deficit at The Purple Palace to defeat the Bobcats 23-25, 25-23, 19-25, 29-27, 21-19.
“It’s indescribable,” Beecham said about the home win against the Bobcats. “We’ve worked so hard this whole season and it’s finally paying off. We’re finally finishing games and it feels so good to beat Buchholz our last time playing them for our senior year.”
Beecham finished with 47 assists, 6 digs, 12 service points, two aces and one block.
“I feel like there were some ups and downs, but in the end, I kept fighting, my teammates kept fighting,” she added. “I think overall we played really well.”
Gainesville (8-7), which lost at Buchholz two weeks ago, earned the split against the Bobcats (7-4).
“Home court advantage in competitive volleyball is big mentally for the girls,” first-year Gainesville coach Paqui Peon told The Gainesville Sun. “The girls play better. And it is Buchholz. We felt we let one go, so we really wanted this one.”
The Hurricanes (8-7) will host Santa Fe (Alachua) on Thursday night, while the Bobcats travel to Fleming Island (Orange Park).
Every game The Prep Zone will recognize a Player-of-the-Game. The recipient receives a $10 gift certificate courtesy of Sonic Drive-In of Gainesville & Ocala.
