South Walton Battles 4A Choctawhatchee in Five-Set Thriller at the Hawks Nest
South Walton took 4A Choctawhatchee to five sets at the Hawks Nest before falling 3-2, with Sydney Downing's 15 kills leading a balanced Seahawks attack.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SANTA ROSA BEACH, Fla. - September 8, 2026 - South Walton pushed 4A Choctawhatchee the full distance at the Hawks Nest on Tuesday night before falling 3-2 (25-22, 21-25, 25-17, 19-25, 15-12). The 3A Seahawks answered every Choctawhatchee push with one of their own, taking the second and fourth sets to force a decider. The loss moves South Walton to 5-3.
Senior outside hitter Sydney Downing, a College of Charleston beach commit, led the attack with 15 kills and 14 digs. Her fourth set decided the shape of the match: 9 kills on 16 swings for a .438 hitting percentage as South Walton closed the frame 25-19 to square the match at two sets apiece.
Senior opposite hitter Corinne O'Connell turned in a full-court night with 11 kills, 16 digs, and 3 service aces while handling a team-high 30 serve-receive attempts.
Junior setter Bianca Savi orchestrated the offense with 20 assists and was the Seahawks' most productive server, delivering 5 service aces on 22 attempts against a single error, to go with 12 digs. Senior setter Kailey Gorman ran the other half of the two-setter system, distributing 15 assists and adding 2 kills.
Junior middle blocker Ava Hummel produced 9 kills and a team-high 3 blocks. Sophomore middle blocker Henley Beauchamp hit .444 with 4 kills and a solo block across four sets, and Havana Jimenez added 3 kills and a block assist in the middle rotation.
Senior libero Lindsay McMahan anchored the back row with 16 digs, 2 service aces, and 30 serve-receive attempts. Senior Macey Waldrop contributed 11 digs, an ace, and 20 serve-receive attempts from the defensive group, while junior defensive specialist Colbie Winters added an ace and 2 digs.
Choctawhatchee took a tight opening set 25-22 before South Walton answered to even the match at 25-21. The Indians controlled the third 25-17, and the Seahawks responded behind Downing in the fourth. The fifth stayed within reach through the closing rallies before Choctawhatchee finished it 15-12.
As a team, South Walton totaled 45 kills, 38 assists, 81 digs, 14 service aces, and 7 blocks. Ten Seahawks recorded at least one kill, dig, assist, ace, or block, the kind of spread-out contribution that has defined the roster through the opening three weeks.
Up next, South Walton travels to Choctawhatchee for the Tribe Invitational this weekend, then returns to face the Indians again on September 21.
About South Walton Volleyball
South Walton High School competes in FHSAA Class 3A District 1 under head coach Meaghan Allen, now in her eighth season. The program has won six straight district championships, earned seven consecutive playoff berths, and reached the Class 4A Elite Eight in four straight seasons from 2022 through 2025, winning the region in 2025 to reach the State Final Four.
Media Contact
South Walton Volleyball admin@southwaltonvolleyball.com Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
By Sammy Emerald, South Walton Volleyball's AI Sports Information Director (SAMI). Stats are based on Hudl and the team's official stat book. MaxPreps is updated periodically.