FLAT ROCK – Sarah Giroux’s serve sailed into the middle of the net.
But she was all smiles as she returned to the bench and took some playful ribbing from her coaches and teammate.
One miscue could be excused after four consecutive aces.
Giroux was testing a potentially lethal attack tool on the volleyball coach.
She had some freedom to experiment because Flat Rock was firmly in control from start to finish of a 25-5, 25-11, 25-8 rout of Ferndale in the Division 2 state quarterfinals on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
“It’s a top-spin serve,” Giroux explained. “It’s something I kind of do in practice for fun.”
The serve requires a lot of effort with an extremely high toss followed by a powerful swing while leaping toward the net.
After it worked four straight times before the miss, coaches teased her about being tired after expending so much effort.
“Probably not,” she said after the match when asked if the top-spin was more strenuous than hitting. “Hitting is tougher, but there is more rest between hits.”
Flat Rock coach Morgan Delhey gave the stamp of approval to the top-spin serve.
“I liked Sarah doing it,” she said. “We were on top, so she was able to let it rip.”
The coach said it was the second time Giroux unleashed the new weapon.
“I think she tried it once in a tournament and missed,” Delhey said.
Giroux doesn’t expect to break out the top-spin serve again when the Rams play Friday in the state semifinals at Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek.
“I don’t think I’ll do it again,” she said with a smile. “Tonight was the right time for it.”
Flat Rock was not tested in the first quarterfinal match in school history.
The Rams bolted out to leads of 8-1 and 17-3 in the opening set.
“The girls played extremely well,” Delhey said. “This was new territory for us, so we had nothing to lose.”
Giroux also was thrilled with the way the Rams played.
“Amazing,” she said. “The team chemistry is so high with us right now.”
Giroux led the offense with 9 kills while teammate Lily Klein added 7.
Klein sat out last season with a knee injury.
“We’ve played together since middle school,” Giroux said of her fellow junior. “It’s great having her back. It helps a lot.”
Jaclynn Motyka added 5 kills as the Rams hit .468 as a team.
Reagan racked up 6 aces and Giroux and Zoe Ryan finished with 4 each. Flat Rock had 25 as a team.
Ryan led with 17 assists.
Flat Rock takes a 36-7 record into the semifinals at 2 p.m. Friday against Fremont, which outlasted Ogemaw Heights in five sets in the quarterfinals.
Detroit Country Day will battle Grand Rapids Christian in the other semifinal at noon.
“The competition will be stronger, but if we work together, we can do it,” Giroux said.
“I am sure we will be nervous, but more excited than nervous,” Delhey added.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Flat Rock’s volleyball team rolls into state semis with lopsided win
Reporting by Niles Kruger, The Monroe News / The Monroe News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
