Lady Flyers Prevail Over Cobras in Sophomore Day Thriller
The No. 9 nationally ranked Sandhills Community College volleyball team outlasted No. 5 Caldwell Tech in a five-set Sophomore Day battle on Saturday afternoon at The Hangar, advancing to 5-1 in Region 10 and 16-8 overall on the season.
The Lady Flyers moved themselves into a tie with the Cobras for first place in Region 10 with the 20-25, 25-20, 25-21, 19-25 and 16-14 victory in their final regular-season conference match of the season. The Cobras dropped to 4-1 in the conference and 17-5 overall. With a win at home against Central Carolina CC on Thursday, the squad from Hudson, NC and the Flyers will share the Region 10 regular season championship. Central Carolina will host the conference tournament on Saturday, October 21.
After the Cobras took the first set, the Flyers came out and took the next two to go up 2-1, but the Cobras took the fourth set to force a tiebreaker fifth set. Trailing 14-12, in the tiebreaker, freshman Zoey Hall was on the serving line as the Lady Flyers scored the next four points. The match-winner came on a big block by sophomores Ny'Asia McKinnon and Lannah Huneycutt. This was the second matchup between the two teams this season, with the Cobras taking the first by a 3-0 sweep.
"I talk a lot about how we're like a roller coaster, sometimes we're up, sometimes we're down," Coach Alicia Riggan said. "I feel like all season we've played better at home which is something we have to figure out. The games that matter and count are going to be on the road, moving forward."
Saturday's scheduled second and third matches of the tri-match against Denmark Tech were canceled by the team from South Carolina. The Lady Flyer sophomores honored afterward were McKinnon, Emma Brown, Dajsha Fields, Alyssa Maragelis, Lannah Huneycutt, and Alexis Hinson.
"These girls are incredible," Riggan said. "They show up every single day, they hold each other accountable, they know what it takes to be a Flyer. They're a huge part of what we do and how we do it, and I couldn't be prouder of them."
Middle hitter Cassidy Jewett was the team's leader in kills with 11, followed closely by Fields with 10. Libero Lainey Mullins led the team with 30 digs, while Huneycutt's three service aces led the team. Huneycutt, Fields, and McKinnon led the team's defense, each contributing two block solos.
The Flyers have the week off before they travel to Lancaster, SC on Saturday to take on USC Lancaster at noon and USC Union at 2 p.m. as a part of a tri-match.
T. Ratcliff
