The Baker volleyball team has been a force in the FHSAA rural classification in recent years, and this season is shaping up to be no different.
- The Lady Gators are 6-1, with their only loss coming against Freeport, which looks like a contender in Class 3A. Baker is currently ranked No. 3 in the rural class, according to MaxPreps.
“I’m just proud of them right now,” Head Coach Chelsea Medley said. “We’ve got girls playing in new spots, girls having to step up. We’re young in some places, but I’m real proud of their resiliency.”
At the center of the Lady Gators’ attack is eighth-grader Taylor Ashburn, an outside hitter who has already put up 43 kills and 12 digs this season. Medley views her as a generational talent.
“She’s phenomenal,” Medley said. “You have kids like that that come around every once in a while, and to top it off, she has the heart of a champion.”
Mallory Lawson has provided support with 25 kills, and Olivia Quattlebaum has added 16. Ellie Fleming has been a multi-skill threat with 27 kills and 10 assists, while Lacy Adams runs the floor with 18 assists and contributes on the back line with 37 digs.
But defense might be the real engine behind Baker’s start. Ja’Kiley Reed anchors the front line, and libero Annie Joiner leads the way with 77 digs.
“The game of volleyball is rooted in defense,” Medley said. “Defense wins championships, and our defense is top notch this year, so I’m real proud of them and the growth that they continue to have.”
What has impressed Medley most is the way the roster has come together.
“What’s impressed me the most is how they’ve come together and meshed,” she said.
Still, the coach sees room for growth, particularly when it comes to finishing points.
“Sometimes we have long rallies, and we’re not taking advantage of the coaching cues,” Medley said.
In her words, the Lady Gators simply need to “put the ball away.”
But the ceiling for Baker remains what fans of the program have come to expect: a Final Four appearance, and perhaps a repeat of what the Lady Gators accomplished in 2023.
