The volleyball

season is heating up and local schools are showing they have what it takes

to beat some of the top programs in the state.

Landmark Christian

has improved to 23-0 and got a win over the team that beat then in the

state A/AA finals last year, Savannah Country Day School. The Lady War

Eagles are looking to capture the championship this year. Last week, Landmark

faced and defeated Marist. The Lady War Eagles jumped out to an early

10-2 lead in the first game but lost 15-13, thanks to outstanding defensive

play by Marist. The second game was a war between the two teams and after

20 minutes the score was still knotted at four points a piece. Landmark

eventually won the game, 15-13, forcing the deciding match. Landmark established

a 14-11 lead and Marist fought off six match points before falling 15-13.

Starr's Mill

has had a full schedule as well, defeating the likes of Mary Persons,

15-8, 15-4; Athens Academy, ranked 13th in the state, 9-15, 15-9, 15-12;

Sandy Creek, 15-10, 15-12; Fayette County, 15-8, 15-3 and East Coweta,

15-8, 15-0. The Lady Panthers then lost to McIntosh, 9-15, 9-15. The team

got solid performances during that stretch from Erin Houghtaling, Car

DePalma, Shelly MacBean and Stephanie Dazey.

After their

game with McIntosh, Starr's Mill faced Collin's Hill and won the first

game but lost the next two to lose the match and then lost to Woodward

Academy, 12-15, 16-18. Lauren Dillon had 21 kills against the four teams,

while Alexis Gregg was credited with 22 assists. The team also set two

team records for most kills, with 60, and most digs, with 134. Yesterday,

the Lady panthers were scheduled to face Fayette County, North Clayton

and McIntosh, while they are scheduled to begin play in the East/West

Invitational at McEachern tomorrow.

In their meet

against the Lady Panthers and Lady Indians, McIntosh won both matches.

They beat East Coweta, 15-6, 15-8 and defeated the Lady Panthers, 15-9,

15-9. The Lady Chiefs got solid play from Megan Bartels, Laura Stewart,

Allison Cheatham and Tara Hamilton in the East Coweta match and from Whitney

Wallis, Jenny Dunn and Natalie Crowley in the Starr's Mill match. McIntosh

then went on to face McEachern and Sprayberry. The Lady Chiefs beat McEachern,

15-9, 13-15, 15-0 and then defeated Sprayberry, 9-15, 15-9, 15-13. Marci

Nessing and Laura Watkins played well in both matches.

McIntosh then

faced a huge test, playing Collins Hill and Woodward Academy. The Lady

Chiefs defeated Collins Hill, 15-10, 15-11, getting good play from Bartels

and Cheatham, and beat Starr's Mill, 14-16, 15-8, 15-7, before losing

to Woodward, 4-15, 18-16, 10-15. McIntosh will get another crack at Woodward

Academy on Sept. 27 at home.

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