The Oglethorpe High School Lady Patriots volleyball team is on a 7-game winning streak and aims for a third consecutive Class A playoff berth. Head coach Brianne Harrison emphasizes the importance of teamwork, citing her players' strong bond and determination despite having a small bench with only three substitutes.
The Oglethorpe volleyball team has rattled off seven consecutive wins, hoping to ride that wave through the end of the season to a potential third straight Class A playoff berth.
“I really want to win the rest of our area games, because that’s what we have left,” head coach Brianne Harrison said. “If we finish the area 8-2, that would be ideal … winning out.”
Harrison is in her third season, having been promoted from coach of the Oglethorpe County Middle School team in 2023.
Both of Harrison’s previous teams made the Class A playoffs.
The 2023 team went 23-4 and 10-0 in the area, but lost in the second round of the playoffs. Last season, the Patriots went 21-8 overall and 9-1 in the area, falling in the quarterfinals of the playoffs to the eventual state champions.
This fall, the Patriots are 19-8 and 4-2 in Area 8-A.
Despite the success, Harrison said this team has a different feeling about it.
“They are playing well as a team. They like each other. They’re driven,” Harrison said. “They are trying their best with a small amount of players. We don’t have a deep bench at all. This year I’ve just preached quality over quantity, so I’m just proud of how they’re doing.”
With six players on the court, Oglethorpe County’s bench is limited to three substitutes.
Their small size is not a cause for concern for the players, though. The Patriots have more intra-squad connectivity than past teams.
“We’re a lot more determined and a lot more disciplined than any other team,” senior libero Aryana Knight said. “Last year, we had a history of not playing as a team and just not getting along with each other.”
Although this year’s record may not be as impressive, the group has become a tight-knit unit.
“I really just care to see my teammates getting along and playing as a team,” Knight said. “This year, I only really care about us being friends and just acting like a family.”
The Patriots are led by sophomore outside hitter Leanna Newton and freshman setter Naomi McPeake.
Newton leads the team in kills per set, overall kills and hitting percentage. McPeake is the team’s leader in digs, aces and assists.
Knight leads OCHS in receptions and senior middle hitter Ansley Paul is the blocks leader.
The Patriots trail Providence Christian and Athens Academy in the area standings, and have the same area record as Banks County and Lake Oconee Academy.
In comparison to the area leaders, Providence Christian is far and away the best attacking team and is undefeated in the region. However, the Patriots lead both Athens Academy and Banks County in half of the attacking stat categories, according to MaxPreps.
The Patriots have more kills, a higher kill percentage and a higher hitting percentage than Athens Academy and Banks County.
However, Oglethorpe County is behind in both digs and blocks, according to MaxPreps. They’re behind the other three schools in every tracked block stat and only have more total digs than just Athens Academy.
The Patriots have played both Providence Christian and Athens Academy this season, dropping both matches. They haven’t played Banks County, and four of their final five matches are against Area 8-A opponents.
“I’m very proud of these girls, and we’re fighting hard,” Harrison said. “We are definitely trying our best.”