Lady Flyers Ink Pinecrest Standout Lexi Allen
With the signing of Pinecrest High School senior Lexi Allen on Sunday, the Sandhills Community College volleyball team added a two-time all-conference player who last month helped her team make it to the semi-final round of the NCHSAA 4A State Championship.
"I have seen a lot of adversity in my volleyball career," the 5-10 outside hitter said," but I love the thrill of high pressure situations and I feel I thrive in that."
The Patriots finished with a record of 17-1 after losing to eventual state champion Cardinal Gibbons. Coach Scott Shepherd's squad lost only one set during the regular season. The team was 26-2 in her junior year.
Allen made the commitment official at The Hangar surrounded by her grandparents Kevin and Debbie Morehead. Also looking on were Lady Flyers' Coach Alicia Riggan, Shepherd, Pinecrest Assistant Coach Brandon Blackburn and Matt Fall, a coach at Athletic Club of the Sandhills.
"Sandhills is getting one heck of a player," Shepherd said. "Lexi is super coachable, super gritty and fiery. There is nothing stronger than her will not to lose and she's pretty much going to do whatever it takes to make that happen.
"She played in the final four and now she's playing on the AC Sandhills side of things in the open division. It's pretty much the highest level of competition you're going to see."
Allen is already well on her way to an associate degree in science and chemistry through college courses taken as a high school student. She plans to also pursue an associate degree in criminal justice technology.
"This is such a good opportunity for college and to further my volleyball career," she said. "I love the program and I love the coaches. It was hard to pass up."
One of the things that stands out to Riggan about Allen is her complete skill-set as a volleyball player. She was second on the Pinecrest team last season in digs and serves received, and third in kills and service aces.
In the five-set win over Broughton in the second round of the state tournament, she was credited with nine kills, 24 digs, 48 serves received and five total blocks.
"Lexi can come in and make an immediate impact for us and she can play all the way around," Riggan said. "She can do it all. She's coming from a great program that made it deep into the playoffs."
Allen was a teammate of current Lady Flyer Carley Modlin as a sophomore at Pinecrest. Also attending the signing ceremony were other family members and friends, including several Pinecrest teammates.
Riggan was impressed with how Allen and her teammates found a volleyball afterward and energetically passed it around.
"Just seeing them out there wanting to touch a volleyball - that's their mentality," the coach said. "And that's contagious. We're very excited to have Lexi."
C. Bergmann