Virginia Trip Nets Two Wins for First Place Lady Flyers
After dropping the first two sets against Caldwell Tech on Saturday, the Sandhills Community College volleyball team rallied to win both ends of its Region 10 tri-match held in Cedar Bluff, VA.
The Lady Flyers defeated the Cobras 22-25, 17-25, 25-13, 25-15 and 17-15 in a match that began at noon. Then they swept the host team, Southwest Virginia CC, 25-11, 25-12 and 25-15, extending their winning streak to six matches in a row.
Coach Alicia Riggan's squad takes a record of 4-0 in Region 10, and 12-8 overall, into Tuesday's 6 p.m. Aberdeen Parks and Recreation Volleyball Night match at The Hangar against USC Lancaster.
The Flyers' coach thought the team was slow in finding its energy, coming off the 250 mile bus ride on Friday.
"We have to come ready to play no matter who is across the net," she said when reached by phone on the way home. "In the third and fourth sets (against Caldwell) we picked it up. I was really proud of the girls for figuring it out."
Two sets down to Caldwell Tech, the Lady Flyers played well down the stretch of both the third and fourth sets to force the 15-point tie-breaker.
Then, leading 14-10 on a kill by Keke Lawrence, the Cobras scored five points in a row to come within a point of closing out the match. But a wicked smash by outside hitter Madison Brower tied it up before a win at the net by Lawrence in the middle, and another kill by Brower, completed the comeback.
"I was super proud of Madison," Riggan said of the freshman, a product of Eastern Randolph High School. "She wanted the ball."
Brower was the leader in kills with 11 followed by Dajsha Fields and JaLasia Ray with eight each. Lawrence had seven kills to go with five blocks. Other statistical leaders included Lannah Huneycutt and Alexis Hinson with 22 and 16 assists respectively.
The leaders in digs were L'Asia Jackson with 26, Abby Quick with 19 and Huneycutt with 15.
The Lady Flyers scored the first 10 points of the opening set against Southwest Virginia and took an 8-0 lead in the second on the way to the sweep.
Lawrence was credited with eight kills and three blocks. Ray had seven kills, and Mackenzie Swett contributed five to go with three service aces. Huneycutt was the leader in assists with 21.
Riggan is anticipating an enthusiastic crowd on Tuesday with the Aberdeen Parks and Recreation volleyball players in attendance. The Lady Flyers were defeated 3-0 at Division II USC Lancaster (12-6) on August 20.
Region 10 Standings – (overall record in parenthesis): Sandhills CC 4-0 (12-8), Central Carolina CC 4-1 (5-6), Caldwell Tech 3-3 (3-11), Rockingham CC 1-2 (3-5), Patrick Henry 1-3 (1-6), Southwest Virginia 0-4 (0-10).
C. Bergmann