Kitanna Rakestraw

Now 7-0 in the PSAC and showing victories over Shippensburg, East Stroudsburg, Kutztown, West Chester, Millersville, Lock Haven and Bloomsburg, the Rams have never been forced to accept the acrid taste of defeat in the league.

Seven wins is halfway through the round robin 14-match conference schedule.

Beginning tonight in Shippensburg, the Rams ride through the rest of their regular season against the same seven schools they have already beaten.

After taming the first half of the conference schedule, Shepherd’s 7-0 record leads East Stroudsburg (6-2), West Chester (5-2) and Bloomsburg (4-3) as its closest pursuit.

Smith

One of the statistical leaders of this team is Sharpsburg, Maryland resident Mikaylah Hoy, who prepped at Heritage Academy in Washington County, Md. Hoy already has accumulated 230.5 points and has registered 204 kills in the Rams’ conference-leading season.

Shepherd has twin offensive threats in juniors Kiarra Rakestraw and Kitanna Rakestraw from Ohio. Kiarra has 228 points and 188 kills to her credit and Kitanna has 168 points and 134 kills on her growing resume.

The twins often cause more than double trouble for Shepherd opponents.

The team’s tallest talent is 6-foot-2 senior Georgia Ohmke. She has recorded 157 points with her 96 kills. Ohmke has 96 blocks on the 19-match season. Ohmke is from Falls Church, Va.

Receiving the PSAC accolade as Freshman of the Year in 2019 is Elyssia Smith. Smith has 147.5 points and 94 kills to give the Rams’ opponents another force to have to keep in mind. Another Virginian, Smith is from Fredericksburg.

Ohmke

Often providing a morale boost with her hustle and ability to keep points alive is Claire Ellis, the team leader in digs with 375. Louisa, Va. is home for Ellis.

Victoria Nicholes came to Shepherd after a high school career in North Huntington, Pa. Nicholes has been the setter for many of the kills registered by the Rakestraws, Hoy, Ohmke and Smith. She has been credited with 604 assists so far in the high-flying Shepherd season.

The Rams have been in a number of five-set matches and have prevailed in all of them. They have even lost the first set in several matches but came back to win anyhow.

Shepherd still has matches at home in the Butcher Center against East Stroudsburg (Oct. 29), Kutztown (Oct. 30), Lock Haven (Nov. 5) and Bloomsburg (Nov.6).

Grinding through the 14-match regular season should help the Rams prepare for the postseason.

Hoy

Being two games ahead of their nearest pursuer in the loss column gives the Rams some room for error. But the 17-game winning streak might be more of an incentive if pressure builds in any remaining matches.

Kiara Rakestraw