GREENVILLE — In the fourth set of Thursday’s Miami Valley League (MVL) contest between the Sidney Yellow Jackets (17-5, 14-4 MVL Valley Division) and the Greenville Green Wave (12-10, 10-8 MVL Miami Division), Sidney freshman Ahniyah Wilson set the Yellow Jackets’ record for services aces in a single season with her 66th.

“I’m feeling amazing,” a smiling Wilson said postgame. “I feel great.”

The previous record was held by her teammate, Alena Swearingen, who had 65 in her 2023 sophomore season.

The moment comes in the final regular season game for Sidney, and brings together an outstanding campaign for someone who was playing middle school volleyball just a year ago.

“I think it’s extremely impressive to be a freshman and step into a role like libero,” head coach Reese Barhorst said Thursday night. “You definitely have to be someone that’s willing to be involved in almost every single play, and she’s done that.”

Going into Thursday’s game against the Green Wave, Wilson was one of three Yellow Jackets leading the MVL in any stat category. Wilson led the league in aces alongside Kalesha Rush, who leads in kills, and Gabby Truesdale, who leads in blocks.

She also sat fifth in digs, with the four girls ahead of her being upperclassmen with multiple seasons of varsity experience.
“I think the team has a lot of trust in her to go back there and serve, but also to take balls in serve receive when they’re struggling and pick up balls on defense that they might not be able to get,” Barhorst continued. “So, a ton of credit to her for stepping up and being able to play in situations like that.”

Sidney’s volleyball team has now seen records broken in back-to-back games, after senior Alena Swearingen recorded her 2,000th career assist in Tuesday’s loss to Tippecanoe, and they have the opportunity to make it three in a row in their Oct. 14 playoff opener against Greenville: Senior Kalesha Rush is knocking on the door of Cynthia Davidson’s single-season kills record of 269.

First serve from Xenia High School is set for 7:00 p.m.

Reach sports editor Rhys Patrykus at rpatrykus@aimmediamidwest.com or 937-498-8088.