Okeechobee High School senior Sydney Matthews is this week’s Big Lake Athlete of the Week for her performance with the Lady Brahman varsity volleyball team.

The Lady Brahmans are 6-2 following wins over Lincoln Park Academy, Centennial, and district foe Sebring. Okeechobee defeated Sebring 3-0, and Matthews led the team in kills with 10.  She’s managed to rack up double digit kills multiple times this season, including 12 against Lincoln Park Academy, 11 against Centennial, 13 against Treasure Coast and 10 against Lake Placid.

Last year, as a junior, Matthews led the Lady Brahmans in kills for the season, with 152. She also had 28 aces and 31 total blocks. That season Okeechobee finished a district runners-up and advanced to the regional semifinals following a win over American Heritage in the quarterfinal.

This season Matthews has picked up right where she left off. She’s an offensive powerhouse for the Lady Brahmans, with commanding spikes that opponents have trouble returning to the Okeechobee side of the court.

The Lady Brahmans will need those kinds of momentum changing kills as they approach their next district games in the season. First up is a rematch with Sebring on Sept. 28 at OHS. Afther that, the face the reigning district and state champion Jensen Beach Lady Falcons on Oct. 10.

If you have someone you’d like to nominate for Big Lake Athlete of the Week, email Lake Okeechobee News sports reporter Richard Marion at rmarion@iniusa.org or visit our Athlete of the Week nomination page at southcentralfloridalife.com/athlete.