The Sandhills Community College volleyball team punched its ticket to the NJCAA DIII national tournament by sweeping previously undefeated Butler County CC (PA) 25-18, 25-16, and 25-17 for the mid-Atlantic District title on Saturday afternoon at The Hangar.
The No. 6 ranked Lady Flyers improved to 35-5 with their 10th win in a row and 27th shutout of the season. The No. 4 ranked Pioneers, now 22-1, came into the match having lost only seven sets during the entire season.
“Coming in, we knew we had a battle with Butler being No. 4,” Flyers Coach Alicia Riggan said afterward. “We had a great week of practice, and it was the first time of five practices in a week since preseason. The girls have put in the work, and we were fine tuning some things.
“The Hangar was rocking today. We have had awesome support all season and to play in front of the biggest crowd was very exciting and a true testament to Flyer volleyball. The basketball team was on point, supporting us today, from the beginning to the end.”
The team will be traveling to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Nov. 14-16, to play in the first bracket for the national championship title. They will play the No. 13 Rochester Yellow Jackets.
Lady Flyers Start Fast – Don’t Let Up
Trailing 1-0 in the first set, the tone for the match may have been set when middle hitter Cassidy Jewett won a point at the net, and Caroline Bradford was credited with three service aces in a row. Later, while recording a kill, Bradford, an outside hitter, sprained an ankle and was unable to return to action. Moments later, a service ace by setter Sydney Garner gave the Flyers a 1-0 set lead.
“Caroline going down in the first set, coming down off an awesome kill on a teammate’s foot, rolled her ankle,” Riggan said. “Thankfully she had on ankle braces and will be okay. We have plenty of time for her to rest and heal before we head to Iowa.
“These girls rallied together and played for Caroline. She is an amazing captain and player; the team knows that. They support each other; they play for each other.”
Cheering loudly for the home team throughout were members of the Flyers men’s basketball team that opened their season on Friday with an exciting 80-78 victory.
Consecutive kills early in the second set by Jewett, Kristin Dodds and Jenna Luquer helped the home team jump out to a 5-2 lead, but it never relinquished. The final point came on kill by Katelyn Bunting, giving the Flyers a 2-0 set advantage.
Trailing 13-12 in the third, kills by Reagan Smith, a back-to-back pair by Jewett, and a slick flick for another by Garner helped the home team complete the sweep.
“The team came out fast and ready to play which was one of our main goals today,” Riggan said. “Play our speed and our game. This has been our thing all season, and it doesn’t matter who is across the net.
“If we play the way we’re capable of playing, we can beat anybody. I felt like the team played loose and together. The game flowed, and the girls played consistent, fast, and together – couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Contributions Come from All Around
Nine players recorded at least one kill for the balanced Lady Flyers, led by Bunting with six, followed by Dodds and Luquer with five a piece. The leaders in digs were Lainey Mullins with 15 and Mariana Clayton with 13. Zoey Hall and Garner led in assists with 16 and 11, respectively. Jewett and Bradford each notched three service aces, and Dodds led in block solos with four.
Garner captured the 1,000th assist of her college career, and another sophomore, Nikki Lambert, added two aces to her now team-record total of 86.
“I am so excited for the team going to nationals,” Mullins said. “We’ve worked so hard all season, especially during practice. The game today was great. We all played hard, and the energy in the gym was amazing. I am so excited to see how we do at nationals since I have never been.”
Garner is impressed by the consistency of the team.
“I believe our consistency has come from the culture we have created on the team,” Garner said. “It is really special to have 17 girls who genuinely want what’s best for another. We’ve experienced adversity this season in different ways. However, knowing we have a genuine support system has made this team unstoppable mentally and physically.”
Feature photo: Sandhills Community College volleyball team. Photo by Donna Ford.
~Written by Sandhills Sentinel contributor C. Bergmann.
