The Atlee boys’ volleyball team came into Highland Springs undefeated and riding a 13-game winning streak but they found that the Springers had too much Moore for them to handle in a 3-1 loss.

Highland Springs, ranked No. 7 in the latest RVC Volleyball Poll, already boasted the extraordinary talents of junior Quentin Moore but head coach Richard Starr recently brought up Moore’s younger brother George, a sophomore, from the JV squad. Against the No. 4 ranked Raiders, George saw his first full night of action and the play of the two brothers combined with a bit of overconfidence on the part of the Raiders and led to a come from behind win for Highland Springs that knotted things up atop the Capital District. In the match, Quentin and George Moore combined or 22 kills, six blocks, three aces and 15 digs.

With the race for the top slot so close, Highland Springs came into the match ready to battle.  “We lost to them the last time so my expectations were at the very best it was going to be a tough match,” said Highland Springs head coach Richard Starr. “We made some improvements in our rotation and how we set our lineups. We had more of a defensive team than we had the last time and I think that was difference.”

Raiders’ head coach Michelle Black knew her team was in for a fight and tried to drive that point home to her players leading up to the contest. “We knew coming in that Highland Springs wanted that win and wanted it bad and that’s what I tried to enforce all week,” she said. “They want it, they’re coming after us and we have to be ready and we weren’t.”
In the first game, the score teetered back and forth between the two teams until Atlee went on a 8-2 run to take a 15-9 lead. Following an ace by Atlee’s Andrew Stanford the lead blossomed to 17-11. 

But then Atlee got a sign of things to come. Highland Springs refused to give up and reeled off three straight points capped by a massive kill from Quentin Moore into the chest of Robert Chilcoat that appeared to lift the Atlee player off his feet.

With their confidence bolstered, Highland Springs scored seven of the next 11 points, three of which came on kills by Quentin Moore, to tie the game at 21. But a solid block from Atlee’s Kyle Rogers followed by a kill from Chilcoat put the Raiders at game point and they closed the door 25-22.

In the second game, Atlee rolled out to a 4-1 lead, but then a rotational for the Springers began to take its toll. With libero Chris Wheeler at service and the lanky front line of Stephen Watson and the Moore brothers, the Springers shut down the Raiders attack. Highland Springs reeled off four straight to take the lead 5-4, three points coming on stuffs by Watson. 

Suddenly the Raiders were in unfamiliar territory and forced to play a catch-up game. A block by Rogers and Chilcoat retied the game at 19 but then the Springers reeled off six straight to take the second, 25-19, scoring the last four points on three blocks from Jessie Brown and Quentin Moore to go along with a kill by Moore.

The third game was much like second with a tight battle throughout but down the stretch Atlee lost its poise and made several key errors leading to a 25-21 win for the Springers.

“We got in a position, we were down,” Black said. “They’re not used to that feeling and how to handle that and we fell apart as a team. There were a lot of individuals out there tonight and we didn’t come together as a team. That’s what we needed to do. You can’t be a bunch of individuals out there.”

In the fourth game, and facing the possibility of suffering their first loss of the season, Atlee played strong, jumping out to a 12-9 lead and the Springers’ top players began to look drained. When the margin moved to 20-14, it appeared Springers’ coach Starr was planning strategy for a tie-break game. Starr pulled most of his starters to the bench, including Watson and the Moore brothers.

“They were tired and making errors,” Starr said but pointed out that he was not exactly stepping down in talent by playing his bench. “I have a deep bench, guys that can play. George Green who would normally be a starter, I put him in and I don’t miss a beat with him. It was an easy decision to make because I have them on the bench.”

Needing only five points to send the match into a tiebreak, Atlee showed its inexperience and played as if they already had the game won. Holding a 23-17 lead, the Raiders committed three consecutive errors to allow the gap to close to 23-20.

A kill by Chilcoat put Atlee one point from sending the match into a tiebreak but by then the rejuvenated Springer starters had returned to the game and reeled off four straight for a 24 all tie.

A block by Chilcoat inched Atlee ahead 25-24, but with Quentin Moore at service, the Springers scored the final three points to win the game and match 27-25. The contest ended appropriately enough on an ace by Moore.

For Black, the loss was the result of her team not playing as a team. “Tonight it was a lot of negativity and volleyball’s a mental game,” she said. “Highland Springs, they did things they don’t normally do because they wanted it and they wanted it bad. They played together as a team and they never gave up on each point. They’re a great team. I’d rather lose to them than anybody.”

However, considering the youth of her Raiders and the long winning streak, Black does not necessarily see the loss as a bad thing. “It puts them in their place,” she said. “We need to stay grounded. They need to learn how to be a team and we’re still really young. So if they learn that and they get it, hopefully we’ll be a lot better.”
With the win, Highland Springs is now tied with Atlee at 7-1 in the Capital District and remains in the running for the regular season title.
“It ain’t over til it’s over,” Starr said. “That was a big win for us. It would have been over without it.”

Atlee was led by Jonathan Sprelazza with 17 kills. Justin Crane finished with 35 assists, while Andrew Stanford had 21 digs.

Atlee———————- 25 19 21 25
Highland Springs—-  22 25 25 27

Highlights: A- Jonathan Sperlazza, 17 kills; Robert Chilcoat, 15 kills; Justin Crane, 35 assists; Andrew Stanford, 21 digs. HS- Quentin Moore, 20 kills, 4 blocks, 3 aces, 4 digs; Addan Jones, 2 kills, 2 blocks, 33 assists; George Moore, 2 kills, 2 blocks, 11 digs; Chris Wheeler, 16 digs.
Records: Atlee 7-1 Capital, 13-1; Highland Springs 7-1, 13-2