Motivated Lady Flyers Open Season at Guilford Tech on Thursday

Seven players from the winningest team in the 10-year history of the Sandhills Community College volleyball program join four newcomers for Thursday's 6 p.m. season-opener at Guilford Tech in Jamestown. 

It will be the first of seven matches out of eight in the first two weeks of the season that are against Division I and II opponents. The Division III Lady Flyers host Division I foes Richard Bland College (VA) at 4 p.m. and Marshalltown CC (IA) at 8 p.m. in a tri-match on Friday at the Hangar.

Coach Alicia Riggan's squad is coming off a 27-6 season that included Region X regular-season and tournament championships before ending in a five-set loss to Northampton CC in the district title match.  The Flyers prepped for the opener with scrimmages against St. Andrews, a four-year program and Cape Fear CC, a perennially strong Division II team last Wednesday, and an alumni match on Saturday.

"We're coming straight out of the gate against some tough competition," says Riggan who is 171-65 going into her 10th season as head coach. "We like to find out about the things we need to work on.

"I couldn't have been more pleased with Wednesday and Saturday. I thought they came together from the start. There was a lot of energy which is something we've been harping on this season. We're excited about Thursday and Friday."

First team All-Region X setter Abby Wallace and middle blocker Tee'Ashia Lilly are two of the sophomore's counted on to help lead the way this time around. In addition to recording 758 assists, Wallace led the team in services aces and was second in digs.

"As a setter you're the quarterback of the team and you have to be a leader," Riggan says. "Abby is very competitive and has worked really hard on being that. She's a really smart player. Tee' Ashia is night and day from the player she was last year and has really stepped up as a leader."

One of the challenges of the off-season was trying to fill the shoes of two of the programs all-time standouts in Region X Player of the Year and NJCAA All-American middle blocker Paige Garner, and libero Erica Groff, a second team All-Region X selection. Morgan McCarthy and Leah Salzwedel were other key contributors that graduated in May.

After relying heavily on the talents of Garner up front last season, the Flyers' coach is counting on returning outside hitters Chelsea Green and Kaitlyn Lisenby, right-side, Rachael Mashburn and middle hitters Maya Bellamy and Jordan Ward to help provide a more balanced attack. They accounted for almost 40 per cent of the team's kills.

"I like being dominant all across the front," Riggan says. "I like it that the girls are picking up that slack and taking ownership rather than relying on one hitter."

Newcomers expected to contribute up front include Two Rivers Conference Player of the Year Lilli Inman (Whiteville High School), 6-foot middle blocker Maya Bellamy (Fairmont), the team's tallest player, and Ivy Futrell (West Montgomery). Inman is a versatile player with a powerful swing who Riggan feels can play all positions on the court.

Freshman libero Shaedyn Housh (Jimmy C. Draughn) joins returning defensive specialist Kiana Brown in the back. Housh, who is from Valdese in the western half of the state, was discovered by Riggan at a tournament in Myrtle Beach. Also a standout in basketball and softball in high school, she has shown in the pre-season that she is skilled and covers a lot of ground.

"I really like my roommates and love being a part of the team," Housh says. "We work really well together on the court. There is always a lot of communication and that brings a lot of energy."

The Flyers led 2-1 in sets in the district championship match held on Northampton's home court in Bethlehem, Pa. last October. But, they couldn't finish the deal that would have earned them a trip to the national championships in Rochester, Minn.

A heavy hitter, Green is one of the returnees who have shown an improvement in consistency of play that could help the team take the next step this season.

"The new players like Shaedyn and Lilli have a lot of athleticism and drive and they're doing a great job of adjusting to our practices and the team," she says. "I think we can get to nationals because in my opinion we are an even better team than last year."

The Region X conference includes Central Carolina CC, Patrick Henry, Vance Granville and Rockingham. Davidson County CC has moved to Division II.

"We're really excited," Riggan says. "I think we have a lot of potential

C.Bergmann