Flyers Drop Two Matches Against Cleveland CC but Bounce Back Strong Against USC Salkehatchie

The Sandhills Community College Flyers faced a tough start to their weekend, falling in two matches to Cleveland Community College on Friday. However, the Flyers rebounded with two convincing wins over USC Salkehatchie on Saturday at home.

Friday, September 6, 2024

In their first match against Cleveland Community College, the Flyers fought hard but ultimately fell in straight sets (23-25, 16-25, 22-25). Despite solid play from Kristin Dodds, who led the Flyers with 11 kills and a .200 hitting percentage, the team struggled to find consistency in their attack, posting an overall hitting percentage of .063. Caroline Bradford added 5 kills, while Reagan Smith chipped in 4 kills. Defensively, the Flyers were led by Nikki Lambert, who recorded 13 digs, and Lainey Mullins, who added 9 digs. In their second match later that evening, the Flyers once again came up short, losing 0-3 (19-25, 21-25, 18-25). Caroline Bradford led the team with 6 kills, while Haley Whitaker added 2 kills off the bench, hitting at a .333 clip. The Flyers' offense continued to struggle, with a hitting percentage of .055 for the match. Nikki Lambert contributed 4 service aces and 6 digs, but Cleveland's dominance at the net proved too much for the Flyers to overcome.

Saturday, September 7, 2024

The Flyers found their rhythm back on their home court, sweeping both matches against USC Salkehatchie. In the first match, the Flyers won comfortably (25-14, 25-16, 25-19). Haley Whitaker shined with a team-high 8 kills and an impressive .455 hitting percentage, while Kristin Dodds added 7 kills and 4 blocks. Caroline Bradford also played a key role, contributing 6 points with 2 service aces. The Flyers' defense was solid, with Zoey Hall leading the way with 9 assists and 3 digs. In their final match of the weekend, the Flyers cruised to another straight-set victory (25-18, 25-14, 25-23). Kristin Dodds and Caroline Bradford led the attack with 7 kills each, while Bradford also tallied 4 service aces. Haley Whitaker continued her strong play with 7 kills on a .667 hitting percentage. The Flyers finished the match with a .198 hitting percentage as a team, their best of the weekend, while also posting 10 service aces and 47 total points.