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Grae Gosnell has always been good. She’s never been as good, though, as she was on Tuesday night.

Gosnell, an Indiana commit, posted a career-high 21 kills to power Wando past Spring Valley, 3-0, in the second round of the Class AAAAA volleyball state playoffs.

The senior outside hitter had not tallied more than 15 kills in any three-set match this season. She averaged seven kills per set, scoring nearly half of the Warriors’ 50 total kills, against Spring Valley, a sharp spike from her season average of 4.2. No one in the state averages above 4.3 kills per set with more than 100 sets played this season.

Gosnell currently ranks second in all of the S.C. High School League with 492 total kills this year and has scored than 1,000 over her high school career. 

Wando was dominant early against Spring Valley, taking the opening set 25-9. The match evened out some as it progressed. Wando still won the second set 25-15 before closing the match with a 25-17 win in the third.

Warriors senior Haley Jenness finished with 13 kills with a .632 hitting percentage. Wando scored eight aces; the Warriors are averaging just over five this season. Ali Clare Jahn received 18 serves. Six Warriors registered at least five digs, led by Lauren Geddings’ 11. Wando’s tandem of junior setters, Ava McCarthy and McKinley Wing, combined for 38 assists.

The defending Lower State champion Warriors will next host River Bluff in the state quarterfinals Thursday in Mount Pleasant. Wando has advanced through the state quarterfinals each of the past seven years.

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