By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After giving birth to her and husband TJ's fifth child on Aug. 13, Corrinne McGreevy took time away from her duties as Hayden's volleyball coach to focus on her newborn son.
But McGreevy knew that the Wildcat program was in excellent hands in her absence, turning the reins over to her high school coach, Jesica Farmer-Walter.
Hayden senior Bella Reid (12) records a kill in Tuesday's win over Emporia. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Freshman Sophia Wichman (3) is congratulated by her Hayden teammates after delivering a kill against Topeka High. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
McGreevy was back on the bench Tuesday night, tag-teaming the coaching duties with Farmer-Walter as Hayden earned straight-set victories over Centennial League foes Emporia (25-15, 25-18) and Topeka High (25-12, 25-18) at High.
"Farmer has been such a lifesaver,'' McGreevy said. "I mean she has got them all ready. She has all the lineups and everything and I just come in and she kind of lets me do my thing and it's been awesome. She's been the backbone.''
When McGreevy comes back on a full-time bases, Farmer-Walter, who coached Hayden to five state titles, will serve as assistant coach for her former star.
"It's come full circle,'' McGreevy said. "She went from yelling at me all the time and making me run all the time to now we're sitting on the sidelines best friends coaching together.''
The young Wildcats, who have just two seniors on the roster, are now 4-1 on the season after Tuesday's triangular sweep, with their lone loss coming against perennial Class 6A power Washburn Rural in three sets.
"I'm so proud of them,'' McGreevy said. "The young ones have stepped up and our junior, sophomore and senior leaders, they've all just really came together and support each other and they've done a great job.''
The Wildcats opened their night with their 25-15, 25-18 win over Emporia.
Hayden trailed 1-0 in the first set but rallied to take a 5-1 lead on a kill from senior Reagan McGivern.
The Wildcats went in front 14-9 on another McGivern kill and used a 6-0 run to take a 23-13 advantage, getting a pair of service aces from junior Ella Foster, before closing out the 10-point victory.
Hayden freshman Blakely Walter sets the ball during Tuesday's volleyball victory over Emporia. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hayden senior Reagan McGivern spikes the ball against Topeka High Tuesday night. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Emporia led on multiple occasions in the second set, including 14-13, before the Wildcats rallied to go up 24-17 with a 6-0 run, including a pair of kills from senior Bella Reid and sophomore Mallory Tanking and a kill from McGivern.
After an Emporia point, McGivern recorded a kill to end the match.
The Wildcats then faced off against host Topeka High, notching a 25-12, 25-18 victory over the Trojans.
Topeka High led 2-1 early in the opening set before Hayden took control with a 7-0 run, capped by a block from McGivern and Reid.
The Wildcats went in front 14-6 on a kill from freshman Hailey Schmidtlein and went up 18-8 on a McGivern kill and closed out the set with a block from Tanking, a kill from Reid and a block from Schmidtlein.
Topeka High went up 2-0, 4-2 and 10-8 in the second set before Hayden rallied to go in front 20-11 on a Schmidtlein service ace.
The Wildcats led 23-13 before the Trojans ran off five straight points to get within 23-18. Hayden ended the match with two straight points, including a Schmidtlein kill to end the set.
Emporia went 1-1 on the night, taking a 25-12, 25-17 win over Topeka High in the first match of the night.
The Trojans, now 3-4 on the season, opened the set with a kill from sophomore Campbell Dawson and High went up 2-1 before the Spartans used a 10-0 run to take control.
Topeka High volleyball celebrates a kill in its match against Emporia Tuesday night at High. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka High built a 4-0 lead in the second set and later went up 6-2 and 7-5 before Emporia used an 8-0 run to take a 13-7 lead.
Emporia got within 14-9 on a Dawson kill and got within 23-17 before the Spartans scored the final two points of the match.
MATCH RESULTS
Emporia def. Topeka High, 25-12, 25-17; Hayden def. Emporia, 25-15, 25-18; Hayden def. Topeka High, 25-12, 25-18.
