Busy Week for Lady Flyers Begins with Comeback Win Over Surry

The only thing missing at The Hangar Monday evening was fans to watch and cheer on the Sandhills Community College volleyball team as it rallied against Surry CC to pull out an 18-25, 25-21, 13-25, 25-22 and 15-8 victory.

Back on their heels much of the time while dropping two of the first three sets under the pressure of the hard serving and attacking Knights, the Lady Flyers made some adjustments and turned things around.

A busy week continues with Coach Alicia Riggan's squad, now 5-1 overall and 2-0 in Region 10 traveling to Davidson-Davie CC on Tuesday (7 p.m.) and USC Lancaster (6 p.m.) on Friday. Spectators will not be allowed, but the matches will be live streamed.

"This is the one time we play Surry and every game now counts," Riggan said afterward. "It was exciting to see the girls not give up when they were down 2-1. They came out on fire from the get-go in the fifth set to take care of business and that's what we expect.

"It was eerie playing with no fans. The girls did a good job cheering each other on, but its not the same."

The Knights, now 1-1 overall and in Region 10, racked up six service aces while taking the first set. But with Mariah Daffron at the service line at the start of the second, and Carley Modlin recording four kills, the Flyers jumped out to a 7-0 lead on the way to knotting the match up at 1-1.

When the Knights, who defeated the Flyers in four sets at a scrimmage in the fall, scored 12 of the last 15 points to take the third set, Riggan made an adjustment from a 4-2 formation with two setters to a 5-1 with one setter.

Trailing 13-9 in the fourth, Morrigan Denman, Alexus McCrimmon, Khaile Jones and Modlin all had multiple kills as the Flyers roared back to tie up the match at 2-2. The final point came on a kill by Modlin set up by Camryn Lowe.

"In the 5-1, I was the only setter and I was definitely running the show," Lowe said.

Service aces by Christen Clontz and Daffron helped pave the way in a fifth set the Flyers never trailed in.

According to Riggan, transitioning from a 4-2 to a 5-1 in the middle of a match was not an easy adjustment to make.

"Cam stepped up there at the end running the 5-1," she said. "She is very vocal on the court and was in control communicating with the hitters. The girls were running plays and it was awesome. I definitely thought she was a game changer for us.

"Now I'm excited to go to Davidson (4-1, 2-0 Region 10) tomorrow. "

Afterward, Modlin, an NJCAA All-American last year, and a recent UNC-Asheville signee, was asked if the entertaining match was as much fun to play in as it was for someone to watch?

"Probably more fun," she said after recording 14 kills on 29 attacks.

Other statistical leaders included Denman with nine kills and 11 digs, Clontz with 14 digs and Daffron with 13 digs. Playing on her birthday, Mya Mallard contributed eight assists and eight digs.

C. Bergmann