Conference Champion Lady Flyers Host Region 10 Tournament on Saturday
The Sandhills Community College volleyball team wrapped up the Region 10 regular season title at The Hangar on Saturday with a 25-10, 25-13 and 25-21 victory over Patrick Henry CC.
The Lady Flyers improved to 8-0 in the conference and 18-5 overall. The win was No. 250 for Coach Alicia Riggan in her 13th year at Sandhills.
Prior to the match, Camryn Lowe, Mya Mallard and Abby Quick were honored on Sophomore Day.
"One of our goals was to win the region," Riggan said afterward. "Another was to go undefeated in the region. Next Saturday will be an opportunity to achieve our next goal."
That will be to win the Region 10 tournament, hosted by the Lady Flyers, and advance to the Mid-Atlantic A-B district tournament on October 29-30 at the site of the Region 20 winner.
Saturday's Region 10 tournament schedule has the Lady Flyers playing the winner of a play-in match between the fourth and fifth place teams, Patrick Henry (0-8) and Rockingham CC (3-5), at 11 a.m.
Central Carolina CC (5-3) and Southwest Virginia CC 4-4) meet in the other semi-final match at 1 p.m. The two winners will play for the championship at 3 p.m.
The Atlantic A-B district winner and runner-up will both join the field for the NJCAA Division III National Championship in Rochester, MN on November 11-13.
Lady Flyers Start Fast Against Patriots
Leading 11-8 in the first set against Patrick Henry, a kill by Mallard, and two service aces by Quick, were included in a run of seven points in a row that set the tone for the match.
Three consecutive points on another kill by Mallard, an ace by Quick, and then a tip kill by Mallard, helped the Flyers pull away midway through the second set.
Four of freshman L'Asia Jackson's nine service aces in the match came early in the more closely contested third set.
Freshmen Lexi Allen and Maddie Harris were the leaders in kills with 10 and six respectively. Lowe was credited with 19 assists, increasing her Flyer career total to 1, 487.
Sophomores Provide Leadership
Lowe and Mallard were members of a 2020-21 COVID interrupted season in which the Flyers compiled a conference record of 7-3 in Division II and an overall mark of 16-5. Due to illness, Quick did not become active until the beach volleyball season.
"It was such an accomplishment last year to move up to DII and it's really nice to come back and be where they were the year before," Mallard said, referring to the conference title won by the 2019 squad and the opportunity to add another conference tournament title this season.
Primarily a setter at Athens Drive Magnet School, and last season with the Flyers, Mallard brings strong ball-handling skills to her role this season as a hitter primarily on the right side.
"I think that was a good experience for her," Riggan says of the position change. "Mya's court placement is very smart and she puts up a good block for someone her size. She's also learned to grab kills by the way she sees the court."
Riggan describes Quick, a Scotland County High School grad, as a player who is on an even keel all of the time. She is second on the team with 228 digs.
"She's one of those quiet leaders with a great serve and good passing," the coach says. "She never shows a lot of emotion which I think is great for a libero."
Riggan calls Lowe, a three-year Flyer via the additional year of eligibility granted by the NJCAA because of COVID, as her "super-sophomore." In addition to the almost 1,500 assists, the product of North Moore High School has accumulated 397 digs and 107 service aces.
"We're glad to have Cam back with her leadership and experience," the coach says. "She's a great mentor to Kaitlyn (freshman setter, Locklear). She's very positive, super-nice and I think that's the type of person you have to have on the court.
"We're going to miss all of them for their leadership and dedication to the program and I couldn't be more happy with them. All three played beach volleyball last spring so we're excited to have them back for that too."
Looking Ahead
Says Lowe, "I feel at the end of the day we're all family and we've really built a chemistry together. Things have finally started clicking and we're starting to do great. I can't wait to see what's next."
C. Bergmann
