Lady Flyers Begin Beach Volleyball Season at St Andrews on Wednesday

The third season of beach volleyball at Sandhills Community College begins on Wednesday with a double-header at St. Andrews University in Laurinburg.  And it comes with an additional element of excitement for the players and coaches.

"I'm excited and I think the girls are too," Head Coach Alicia Riggan said before a practice on Monday, "knowing there is the potential to play for a national title."

The 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. matches against the Knights begin a challenging regular season that includes six double-headers and a total of 17 matches in 21 days.  A busy first week also includes the Flyers Invitational on Friday and Saturday with Gaston College, Spartanburg Methodist and Bryant and Stratton College (VA), providing the opposition.

A total of 17 NJCAA colleges in all divisions nationwide currently compete in beach volleyball. A six-team Region 10 tournament hosted by the Lady Flyers on April 7 will determine three of the teams that make up the 12-team field for the first NJCAA Beach Volleyball Championship held at Hickory Point Beach in Tavares, FL on April 20-22.

Returnees Keke Lawrence, JaLasia Ray and Mackenzie Swett helped lead the Lady Flyers indoor team to a Region 10 title last fall and a spot in the national tournament held in Rochester, MN where they won two of their three matches and finished in ninth place.

Seven other members of that team, along with three others that came to Sandhills just to play beach volleyball, are vying to be members of the five pairs that will represent the Lady Flyers in tournaments.

"I think the girls are ready to kick off the season," said Riggan who is being assisted by Holly Mandeville and Ryan Riggan. "We had a couple of weeks of practices and then a week off for spring break. The girls all have their partners."

A middle hitter indoors, Lawrence is a two-time NJCAA All-American. Mackenzie was a second team All-Region 10 selection last fall. Freshman Lannah Huneycutt made the All-Region 10 first team.

The other freshmen who played in the fall include Olivia Barlowe, Alysa Maragelis, Ny'Asia McKinnon, Dajsha Fields, Anna Ty Ivey and Alexis Hinson. Sophomore Britta Martin, and freshmen Emma Brown and Rachel Burley, are the newcomers.

Hinson, who will be paired with Ray on Wednesday, was second on the team behind Huneycutt in assists in the fall.  She is playing in the sand for the first time where skills in all phases up the game are required.

"I know there are some things I struggle with and that's why beach helps me turn my weaknesses into strengths indoors," she said.

Said Riggan, "Alexis is doing really well for not having played before and the three returnees have been very positive in promoting the benefits to playing indoors."

The first two years of beach volleyball at Sandhills have contributed to a rapid growth in popularity of the sport in the community.  All of the local high schools and most of the middle schools have girls participating in the Junior Flyers Volleyball Club that practiced on the courts Monday evening.  Nearby Union Pines High School now has three sand courts.

Carolina Region Junior Beach Tour events will be held at the college in April and May.

As someone who enjoys making trips from her home in Robeson County to places like Myrtle Beach, the outdoor game is right up Swett's alley. And she's seen a lot of progress in the team from a year ago.

"The beach is an hour and a half away from my house," she said. "If it's warm I'll take that drive and sit in the sun and listen to music all day long. This feels like the beach. I think that's what makes it fun.

"Last year was my first year playing beach volleyball. This year as a team we are so much more skilled than we have been. I think we're a whole lot more fundamentally sound. The attitude is just so positive so that's a plus."

Leading into the new season, improvements have been made to the already spectacular facility by the Sandhills Maintenance Department.

"When you put your feet in the sand you can't help feeling you're at the beach," Riggan said. "It's a beautiful day and the sun is shining."

C. Bergmann