Lady Flyers Host Tri-Match Friday after Opening With a Win at Guilford Tech

A strong play at the net for the final point by middle blocker Tee'Ashia Lilly nipped a late comeback by Guilford Tech giving the Sandhills Community College volleyball team a 25-19, 18-25, 25-19 and 25-23 season-opening victory in Jamestown on Thursday.

Service and attack errors plagued both sides as the two teams split the first two sets. The Flyers' Lilli Inman had four kills in the third game that was wrapped up on a tip by Kaitlyn Lisenby off an assist by setter Abby Wallace.

Making a bid to send the match into a tie-breaker set, the Titans led 12-9 in the fourth before the Flyers got down to business. Kills by Inman and Rachael Mashburn, both assisted by Wallace, helped put Coach Alicia Riggan's team in front 19-15.  Moments later a service ace by Inman, and a flick into open space by Wallace for a point, made it 22-16.

That's when the home team made things interesting, closing to within 24-23 before Lilly won final the battle up front.

Inman was credited with nine kills and 14 digs.  Lilly also had nine kills to go with three solo blocks. Wallace finished with 29 assists and 11 digs. Also for the winners, libero Shaedyn Housh had 20 digs and Chelsea Green led the team in service aces with six.

"They were super-scrappy and a really good team," Riggan said of the Division II Titans. "We have to be a little more polished than we were tonight. I felt like we were really nervous. It was the first game and that's okay, but we have to be ready to play tomorrow against two tough teams."

A busy Friday at the Hangar begins with the Lady Flyers meeting Division I Richard Bland of Petersburg, VA at 4 p.m. Bland faces Division I Marshalltown CC of Iowa at 6 pm. Then the Flyers wrap things up by playing Marshalltown at 8 p.m.

C.Bergmann