S-GI senior Becca Fox’s 14 kills pace varsity volleyball

SPRINGVILLE — With the loss of graduating senior Alex Weide that left the Lady Griffs with a void at middle hitter, Springville-Griffith Institute senior Becca Fox stepped up to the plate for her girls varsity volleyball team.

“I realized that, if I wanted to have a good season and if I wanted to improve, I was going to have to work on the little parts of my game,” she said.

Fox attended sports camps over the summer, to gain help in different areas of her game. She also put up a net at home so she could continue to work, before the season started.

Fox said that, although she had been practicing all summer, when the fall season started, “the idea of senior year set in. I started thinking, ‘This is my last chance to play with my team and show my skill. Why not be the best player I can be?’”

The S-GI senior played with her team in non-league contests against Immaculata and Olean and said that things went as planned, for her.

“Things have really been falling in place,” she said. “Mr. [Coach John] Chaddock kept telling me to start swinging at the ball with a purpose. That idea is in my head every time we play now: ‘Play with a purpose and make something of the time you have the floor; stand out.’”

Fox led the Lady Griffs squad to a five-set win against the Cheektowaga Warriors on Monday, Sept. 17, with a career-high 14 kills. Senior Captain Ashley Braddock strung together three straight aces, en route to a 25 – 9 win.

Game two did not offer the same momentum. The Lady Griffs were down most of the game and were unable to break through. With Cheektowaga’s winning 24 – 21 and 1 point away from taking the game, Fox prolonged the game with a spike, to make the score 22 – 24.

On the issuing serve, junior Taine Dallas strung together 4 consecutive points to take the game 26 – 24.

After dropping the next two games, the Springville girls fought through a back-and-forth final game to eventually win 25 – 18 with a match-clinching spike by senior Lauren Robel.

Chaddock acknowledged sophomore setter Kristen Baker, with her game-high 18 assists.

The girls will play next at home on Sept. 25 against East Aurora.