Pioneers Top Flyers in Two Tight Contests

The Sandhills Community College beach volleyball team put forth a strong effort in Tuesday's doubleheader against Spartanburg Methodist, splitting several hard-fought matches. 

Game 1: Flyers Secure Two Dominant Wins 

The Flyers earned commanding victories in the first match of the day, with Lainey Mullins and Reagan Smith delivering a dominant performance against Layla VanAernem and Leilani Campbell (21-12, 21-7). The pair controlled the match from start to finish, using sharp ball placement and strong net play to overwhelm their opponents. 

Julia Emore and Zoey Hall added another straight-set win, taking down Bailey Beck and Brook Noe (21-14, 21-19). The duo's defensive tenacity and consistent serving helped them fend off a late push from Spartanburg Methodist. 

Despite battling hard, Aydan Bullard and Nikki Lambert pushed their match to three sets before falling in a tight battle (12-21, 21-19, 15-9). Kennedy Koziarz and Katelyn Bunting also fought to keep the Flyers in the match but came up short against a strong Spartanburg Methodist duo in the 5's pair. 

In an exhibition match, Jacque Holden and Emery Freeman added another highlight for Sandhills, dominating their opponents (21-17, 21-6). 

Game 2: Sandhills Bounces Back with Key Wins 

The Flyers came out strong in the second match of the day, with Bullard and Lambert flipping the script in a thrilling three-set victory over Smart and Vucinic (21-12, 13-21, 16-14). Their composure in the decisive set helped Sandhills earn a crucial win. 

Mullins and Smith continued their stellar play, securing another straight-set victory (21-14, 21-10), keeping their undefeated day intact. 

In another nail-biting three-set battle, Zoey Hall and Julia Emore fought hard but fell in a close match (8-21, 21-9, 16-14), showing resilience after dropping the second set. 

Jacque Holden and Emery Freeman played one of the most competitive matches of the day, pushing their contest to the limit before narrowly falling (18-21, 21-14, 18-16).

Although Sandhills came up just short in the overall team result, the Flyers' effort and ability to push several matches to three sets demonstrated their growing strength and competitive fire.

Looking Ahead

The Flyers continue their 2025 campaign with a trip to Wake Tech on Tuesday for a double header with the Eagles.