Lady Flyers Competitive in Beach Volleyball Debut
The learning experience continued for members of the first-year Sandhills Community College beach volleyball team at the Flyers Invitational held on the school's new courts on Friday and Saturday.
In the process losing the first of their four matches 3-2 to St. Andrews University early Friday morning, all five of the Lady Flyers' two-player teams were competitive against a four-year college playing in its 13th match of the year.
"It was a great first tournament," Riggan said. "I loved the vibe and everybody seemed to have a good time. Our facilities are awesome and our maintenance guys did this. I'm excited that the college is allowing the sport now."
The No.1 team of Morrigan Denman and Camryn Lowe lost the first set 21-15 before taking the next two 21-18 and 15-7.
"It was very fun," Denman said afterward. "We dug ourselves a hole so it was kind of hard to come back from that. We told ourselves before the second set we were going to jump on it and pushed hard.
"Because there are only two of us, you really build that relationship with the other person to do what you have to do in game situations."
The second Flyer team of Carley Modlin and Mariah Daffron, and the third of Christen Clontz and Mya Mallard, also took the Knights to three sets before falling.
The outcome of the match was still on the line as Khaile Jones and Mya Sencenbaugh prevailed 21-12 and 23-21 in the No. 4. Alexus McCrimmon and Brooke Anne Fryar were defeated 21-11 and 21-14 in the No. 5.
"The thing I was most proud of was the way Mariah and Carley, and Cam and Mo, both lost their first sets and fought back to a third set," Riggan said. "Christen and Mya went extra points in the third set twice and had game point. We lost 3-2, but it really could have shifted either way.
"We played against a team of all beach players. They give scholarships and we don't . There's a lot to be proud of and playing against good competition is how you get better. Figuring each other out and competing is what I wanted to see."
Later Friday, and on Saturday, the Flyers were defeated 4-1 twice by St. Johns River State of Palatka, FL and 4-1 by Spartanburg Methodist.
Communication/Chemistry a Key to Success on the Beach
Playing two matches in a day on an unfamiliar surface was a physical challenge for the players. Riggan also talked about the bond that develops between two players having to completely depend upon each other on the court. Substitutions are not allowed and coaches can only speak to their players during timeouts.
"It's exciting to watch them communicate with each other and to listen to what they're saying during timeouts," the coach said.
Having both attended Purnell Swett High School where they were also teammates, Jones and Sencenbaugh had a head start when it comes to developing chemistry.
"I feel we understand each other really well and that makes us good teammates," Sencenbaugh, a defensive specialist indoors said. "I have a bunch of confidence when I'm out here."
In addition to the communication, Riggan talked about the importance of the partners feeding off each other's energy.
"Mya is extremely hyped out here and Khaile is a little more quiet, but they really work well together," she said. "They see the court well and the thing about beach is it's not how hard you can hit the ball, but how smart you can be in placing it."
Modlin felt that she and her partner learned as they went along against their St. Andrews opponent.
"That team was super-smart," she said. "They were placing balls in spots we just couldn't get to. They're a sand team, but we definitely hung right in there with them."
During the first matches on Saturday morning, the spectators learned something they probably didn't know about beach volleyball when the lawn sprinklers came on, spraying water onto the courts and the bleacher area.
That is, that the game goes on, including when it rains, providing there is no lightning."It got everybody a little excited," Riggan said. "I never saw people move that fast, spectators as well."
The Lady Flyers will take what they've learned so far to Salisbury on Tuesday for 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. matches against Catawba College. They are scheduled to entertain Spartanburg Methodist again at noon on Friday followed by a match against Wake Tech at 4 p.m.
Among the spectators last Friday was Thomas Burns who was member of the Sandhills grounds maintenance department crew, led by supervisor Dennis Holder, that constructed the new facility.
"We had to follow college specifications and we moved a lot of dirt around," he said. "It was a fun project. It turned out beautifully. I know we're proud of it."
C. Bergmann
