Lady Flyers Win Thriller Over Davidson-Davie

The Lady Flyers added on to a four-game win streak as they took down Davidson-Davie Community College on Tuesday at the Hangar, snapping the Storm's six-game win streak in the process. 

The Flyers and Storm met earlier in the season, with the Storm winning by a 3-0 sweep. The fifth-ranked Flyers came into the game underdogs, as Davidson-Davie has dominated the series between the two teams over the past three years. In addition, Davidson held a 9-1 record coming into the game, with seven of the wins being sweeps, and only having lost five sets total on the season.

"Anytime you're playing a very well-coached team in a five-set thriller, your emotions can get the best of you, but it was really nice to beat a team that had beaten us earlier." said Coach Alicia Riggan."Them having a 9-1 record could've been intimidating, but it allows us to see the level that we're capable of playing at."

The game tonight was a back and forth battle, with neither team ever winning back-to-back sets. The first set was won by the Flyers by a score of 27-25, followed by a not as close second set won by the Storm 25-19. The Flyers led by as much as nine early in the third set, but a Storm comeback ended up tying the set late. Ultimately, the Flyers prevailed taking the third set 26-24. Once again, the fourth set was not as close, with the Storm winning 25-17, and the tiebreaker fifth set was won 15-13 by the Flyers.

Caroline Bradford was the team's leader in kills with 12, followed by Ellie Everhart with 10. Everhart had a breakout game, leading the team in blocks with five, and kill percentage. 

"Ellie Everhart was a blocking machine," said Riggan. "She was on fire tonight. It was really impressive to see some people step up that haven't had the opportunity to."

Cassidy Jewett also contributed four blocks. Lainey Mullins was the team's leader in digs with 43, and Sydney Garner led the team in assists with 25, trailed by Lannah Huneycutt with 17. Mullins' 43 digs were the most by a Flyer in a match since 2016, when Erica Groff recorded 49.

The Flyers resume play on Friday, as they travel to Caldwell Community College to take on the 13th-ranked in DIII and 12-2 (2-0 Region 10) Cobras. This is the first of two match-ups this season between the Flyers and Cobras, with the second on October 7th at home. The Flyers return to the Hangar on September 23 to take on Patrick and Henry Community College and USC Sumter in a doubleheader.

T. Ratcliff