Emeigh sets two Bermudian Springs volleyball records in win against York County Tech
When Gabby Emeigh tried out for her middle school volleyball team five years ago, coaches quickly recognized her ability to serve the ball effectively, and encouraged her to stick with the sport.
She rapidly fell in love with volleyball, and in eighth grade those coaches assigned her to play setter because of her ability to use her hands to put the ball anywhere on the court.
What those coaches saw in Emeigh early in her career culminated in a record-breaking performance Thursday night during Bermudian Springs' 25-18, 25-9, 25-9 win against York County Tech.
The senior setter, who didn't start for the Eagles until her sophomore year, broke the school's career assists record (1,209, set by Latrisha Morales in 2009) in the first game of the match. Then in the second game, she broke the school's career aces record (179 set by Kate Stahl in 2000).
"I think Latrisha started as a freshman, so Gabby broke her four-year record in three years," Bermudian Springs coach Mike Beachy said of the assists record. "Latrisha also had a very good middle hitter, but not quite the hitter that Mady is."
Emeigh posted 20 assists in the win, with half of them going to fellow senior Mady Whitcomb, who set the school's career kills and blocks record in separate games earlier this season.
Play halted after the second game for a surprise, as coaches presented Emeigh with a ball signed by all of her teammates during a brief ceremony to commemorate the occasion.
"I loved it," Emeigh said of the ceremony. "These last couple games I knew I was really close, so I kept on pushing harder. I love my team, they're great. It was fantastic."
The records came as Bermudian Springs has just two regular season games remaining. When the final power rankings are released in two weeks, the Eagles will likely end up as one of the last teams to qualify for the District 3 tournament, or as one of the first teams to miss the playoffs,
After this season, the Eagles will attempt to replace not just the statistics Emeigh produces, but also her leadership on the court. Emeigh talks to her younger teammates after mistakes, and they typically walk away from those quick conversation with a smile.
"She has the ability to say what needs to be said on the court, those intangibles. You can't really teach that," Beachy said. "We'll miss her, that's for sure."
Bermudian Springs 3, York County Tech 0, 25-18, 25-9, 25-9
at Bermudian Springs High School
York County Tech stats — D'Shanna Edwards (3 aces, 7 digs, 2 blocks, 1 kill), Kirstyn Evans (4 digs, 2 blocks, 5 kills), Brooke Glass (9 digs, 13 assists), Kayli Shoff (1 ace, 4 digs, 8 assists), Judy Barton (2 digs, 4 blocks, 5 kills), Dasjiah Owens (2 digs), Christine Castillo (2 digs, 1 kill), Mackenzie Moody (1 ace), Ashley Dempsey (1 block).
Bermudian Springs stats — Gabby Emeigh (5 aces, 2 digs, 2 blocks, 4 kills, 20 assists), Mady Whitcomb (1 ace, 1 dig, 2 blocks, 10 kills), Bree Farley (1 kill), Haley Dull (3 aces, 7 digs), Maddie Grim (8 digs, 5 kills, 1 assist), Kyleigh Kutz (4 kills), Alaina Murren (1 dig, 4 kills, 1 assist), Jordyn Pottorff (1 ace, 9 digs, 1 assist), Miki Seifert (10 digs).