XENIA — Legacy Christian on Tuesday found itself in an everything on the line scenario concerning Metro Buckeye Conference play during a first and second-place showdown hosting Dayton Christian.
The meeting went much like the first though, with Dayton Christian coming away with a three-set win, 25-11, 25-23, 25-17 to clinch the league title.
This meeting provided a glimpse though of how much more comfortable the Knights have become as a unit throughout the season.
Legacy showed grit during the second and third sets. The second was a back-and-forth affair from 19-all onward, and down 24-12 in the third set, the team continued its attack and rattled off five consecutive points to keep hope alive.
Although neither went her team’s way, head coach Amy Pickens said as the year has progressed, she has seen more than just skill development, but mental strength growing alongside the ability to not give up.
“Being down and them having 24 points while still being able to rally through and push to try to pull out the win is key and that’s what I’ve seen developed throughout the season,” Pickens said. “They’ve just come together as a team and tonight was not the outcome that we wanted, but it was well fought and I’m proud of them.”
Legacy, now sitting at 14-5 this season, received the No. 1-seed in Sunday’s sectional draw for the OHSAA Division IV state tournament.
Pickens called this the best season she has experienced and is unable to contain her excitement for the team.
“The first year that I coached, we only had varsity and a small junior high squad and now we have a 50-plus member roster for junior high and JV and everyone has full schedules,” she said. “It’s really great to see the program grow, watching all the seasons go well and being named the number-one team in our part of the district is just a complete honor. I’m really excited for the girls knowing that they’ve been working really hard.”
Legacy will open tournament play on Oct. 20 against either the No. 5-seed Fayetteville Perry, or No. 6-seed Cedarville at 7 p.m. The sectional round will be held at Miami Valley Christian Academy in Cincinnati.
Dayton Christian won the reserve game 25-20, 25-18.
Pink Out to be held
Legacy’s final match of the regular season will come against Yellow Springs on Thursday.
A “pink out” is encouraged for both teams and fans in attendance in recognition of the ongoing Breast Cancer Awareness month in October.
Pickens said there are a few examples which are close to Legacy that makes the event and cause a special one.
She included a Legacy staff teacher that has recently fought breast cancer and is cancer free now, and a student’s mother who had breast cancer last year.
“We try to dedicate it to somebody every year, and this year it feels like there’s so many people that has an experience breast cancer in some form or another and we thought instead of focusing on one, we could branch out to the community,” Pickens said.
Pickens said the choice to do it with Yellow Springs was specific. She knew head volleyball coach Phillip Renfro’s mother had breast cancer and it is a cause he cares about as well.
“When they come in, they are going to be in pink uniforms, we’re going to be in pink uniforms, we’re hoping both of our crowds do the same and will have banners up for people to provide dedications to for people they know that are fighting and have one,” Pickens said.
After not being able to hold an event last year due to COVID-19 protocols, this year’s game will benefit the Dayton chapter of Pink Ribbon Girls.
“We’re kind of pushing it all out to really be able to put things back into the community, and not just be so much volleyball but provide benefits for the people that we care about as well,” she said.