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Jessica Nelms

Daniel High School’s Sherece Smith (8) leaps to spike the ball during the Lions’ 3-0 win over Chapin on Thursday in Central.

CENTRAL — After coming out sluggish earlier in the week against J.L. Mann, the Daniel High School volleyball team certainly didn’t have any trouble coming out with some fire in its second round playoff match on Thursday night against Chapin.

Paced by a runaway victory in the opening game, the No. 1 Lions went on to take the match in three straight games by scores of 25-11, 25-21 and 25-18 to advance to the third round of the playoffs, as they’ll travel to Eastside on Monday evening.

Daniel (30-3) saw Anicia Dotson come to serve in the opening game with the score tied at 4-4. By the time she had finished her turn serving, the Lions led 11-5, and shortly after, Carley Hoover picked up three aces in helping pump the lead to 17-5, as Daniel was focused from the outset.

“They really picked it up today,” Daniel head coach Joy Stewart said. “They were not flat. They wanted to win, and they did just that.”

Chapin managed to keep things interesting in the second game though, as it found itself tied with the Lions at 11-11 before a botched serve gave possession back to Daniel with a 12-11 lead it never lost, though the visiting Eagles inched as close at 20-18 late in the game.

“I think that they eased up a little bit,” Stewart said. “They weren’t playing as much on their toes as they should have been as far as their defense and their serving, but they were able to bring that full circle and finish it off, which is huge.”

With a 14-7 lead in the third game of the night, Daniel’s Sarah Hughey, who finished with four aces and six kills, helped push the lead to 17-7, as Chapin never got closer than six points down the stretch.

For the night, Hayley Hoover led the Lions with 28 assists, while Sarah Beasley had a team-high nine kills.

With the Lions’ win, its set up a rematch with top-seeded and No. 3 Eastside, which defeated Blue Ridge by scores of 25-15, 25-16 and 25-16 on Thursday, after the teams met last season in the third round, which resulted in a Daniel win.

Having won that match a season ago to advance to the Upper State championship game, Stewart said the Lions wouldn’t be intimated when they go on the road, as they have the experience to win away from home in the playoffs.

“We went to Eastside last year and it turned out great for us,” Stewart said. “We don’t really care where we have to play or who we have to play for that matter. We just want to play and keep going.”

Daniel 3, Chapin 0

CHS 11 21 18 — 0

DWD 25 25 25 — 3