PORTSMOUTH, Ohio -- Kylee Gifford and Haidyn Wamsley are two players full of talent on the volleyball court.
That much is clear to anybody who has seen either one or both student-athletes play the sport.
Their commitment to leadership and giving back to their home county, and doing so in a low-key manner, however, has been just as impressive, if not moreso.
So it was only fitting that Gifford and Wamsley not only got to celebrate themselves on Senior Day, but do so in a straight-set victory where both players starred.
Wamsley posted 12 kills and two solo blocks while posting a .375 attack percentage, and Gifford added in nine kills, two solo blocks and an assisted block while hitting .267 on the attack as the Shawnee State volleyball program claimed a straight-set victory over the Brescia (Ky.) Bearcats' volleyball program (25-20, 25-21, 25-21) Saturday afternoon in a River States Conference match that was held at Waller Gymnasium in Portsmouth.
In addition to the efforts from Wamsley and Gifford, Whytney Faulkner posted 17 digs, added in seven kills on a .250 attack percentage, and claimed four aces at the service line to assist SSU's offensive efforts in a big way Saturday. Makaela Lovely enjoyed another big assist outing with a 32-assist, seven-dig performance while Brooke Bossert headed up SSU's play defensively with 19 digs.
Megan Steele also added in 13 dives for the Bears (13-9, 6-4 River States Conference), who moved to a 7-1 overall record inside the Waller Gymnasium confines in 2024 with its straight-set victory over Brescia.
Set Highlights
Down by a 3-1 margin to begin the opening set, Shawnee State rallied in a big way -- as the Bears proceeded to rip off a 12-3 push that saw Haidyn Wamsley and Makaela Lovely each collect two kills apiece with Lovely adding a service ace as well during the spurt. Kylee Gifford, Maelynn Howell and Whytney Faulkner also added a kill each as SSU took a 13-6 lead off of that run.
The Bears opened up their first set advantage to as much as 19-11 at one point before Brescia rallied back -- claiming nine out of the next 10 volleys to tie the opening set at 20 up.
However, Faulkner and Wamsley teamed up -- and got Shawnee State dialed in again. Wamsley posted a kill and two consecutive solo blocks in succession to begin a 5-0 push, while Faulkner wound up for back-to-back kills to end it as the Bears claimed the opening set with a 25-20 decision.
Using its momentum from how the opening set ended, Shawnee State then proceeded to rip off each of the next six points in the second set of competition, with Faulkner ripping off three service aces and Gifford posting two slams in a 6-0 start to the second frame for the Bears.
Again, Brescia answered with its own flurry -- as the Bearcats proceeded to go on an 11-3 rip to take an 11-9 advantage. Shawnee State then answered right back -- going on a 7-1 tear behind a pair of kills from Wamsley to take a 16-12 advantage before Brescia again rallied to cut the SSU lead to a 22-21 margin.
However, just like the first frame of action, the Bears closed the deal out with a convincing push, as Shawnee State regrouped to claim the final three points of the set with an attack error helping the Bears take a 25-21 second set decision and a 2-0 match lead.
In the third set, neither squad gave an inch initially -- as Shawnee State and Brescia battled to eight ties and nine lead changes before the Bears broke through to take a 12-9 advantage by going on a 6-2 run off of kills from Gifford, Faulkner, Wamsley, Brooke Bossert and Camille McIntosh. The Bearcats closed to within one volley on two separate occasions in the third set of action (12-11 and 22-21), but got no closer the rest of the way as SSU ultimately held the point the rest of the way en route to winning the set, 25-21, as well as the match.
Senior Day profile
(Haidyn Wamsley) – No. 13, Sr., Otway, Ohio
An All-District standout in three different sports at Northwest High School and a state qualifier in track and field with the Mohawks, 2023 First-Team All-RSC recipient Haidyn Wamsley has continued showcasing her versatility throughout her four-year career at Shawnee State.
A four-year contributor in volleyball, Wamsley will also be in her third track and field season this coming spring with SSU. Wamsley has posted 851 kills on the volleyball side with 238 total blocks, and is a two-time NAIA National Championship Qualifier in the high jump, posting a personal best five-foot, six-inch vault to finish 11th nationally last year.
Academically, Wamsley will graduate with her bachelor's degree in primary education, and will do so with honors as Wamsley holds a GPA above 3.7. She eventually plans to go back to school to get her master's degree, and hopes to teach and coach either volleyball, track or basketball in the area.
Her favorite volleyball memory is from 2023, when both her and Kylee Gifford were named as First-Team All-RSC recipients. Wamsley has treasured getting to know each of her teammates on the volleyball squad throughout her four seasons in a Shawnee State uniform, and meeting her best friend to boot.
"I want to thank all of my coaches, family, and friends for pushing me and supporting me through this journey," Wamsley said. "I have made so many great memories here at Shawnee that will stay with me forever. Go Bears!"
(Kylee Gifford) – No. 16, Sr., Wheelersburg, Ohio
A standout volleyball player throughout her career who led Wheelersburg High School to the 2019 OHSAA Final Four as a prep star, 2023 First-Team All-RSC recipient Kylee Gifford has continued her stellar play throughout her college career, hitting .283 while posting 268 blocks during her time at Shawnee State.
Her favorite memory over her four-year career was playing against Indiana-Kokomo her sophomore year on homecoming weekend and winning.
Gifford will graduate with her bachelor's science degree in the spring, and plans to obtain a master's in education. Gifford also plans to coach volleyball in the future.
"I want to thank everyone who has supported me through all the years on and off of the court," Gifford said. "I appreciate everything that my coaches have done for me while I have been at Shawnee State."
Additional
The volleyball program at Shawnee State has four matches left in the regular season, with the Shawnee State volleyball program set to head to West Virginia Tech for another River States Conference match. That affair will begin Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. at Van Meter Gymnasium in Beckley, W. Va.
