Lady Flyers Spring Beach Tour Continues With Road Match Against Wake Tech
The Sandhills Community College and Wake Tech beach volleyball teams will both be looking for their first wins of the spring when they meet each other in 1 p.m and 3 p.m. matches on Wednesday at the Southern Sand Volleyball Courts in Apex.
The Lady Flyers hosted three other Region 10 teams last Friday and Saturday at the second annual Flyers Invitational. Coach Alicia Riggan's squad was defeated 4-1 by Gaston College and 5-0 by Spartanburg Methodist on Friday, and 4-1 by Bryant and Stratton CC (VA) on Saturday. Spartanburg Methodist won all three of its matches over the two days.
Riggan changed all of her pairs on Saturday except for the No. 3 of sophomore Mackenzie Swett and freshman Emma Brown that defeated their Gaston College opponents 16-21, 23-21 and 15-10 on Friday. They were also 21-17, 18-21 and 15-13 winners on Saturday against the Bryant and Stratton pair.
Considering that Swett, Keke Lawrence and JaLasia Ray are the only returnees from last spring's team, and their three opponents had 10 or more matches behind them, Riggan was encouraged by the progress made since the Lady Flyers opened the season earlier last week at St. Andrews University.
"We are asking them to step on a new surface, essentially learn a new game with different rules and to buy into it," the coach said. "We started practicing three weeks ago. For the most part they're like sponges, eager to learn. Whether it's inside or outside they just want to get better. I couldn't be more proud of these girls."
Swett, a product of Purnell Swett High School, was a second team All Region 10 selection as a middle hitter indoors last fall. Brown, a Next Generation Academy in Sanford grad, did not play indoors in the fall. She had not previously played outdoors and practiced with Swett for the first time earlier last week.
In Friday's win over Gaston they survived a couple of match points in the second set before prevailing in the tiebreaker.
"Emma and I talked at practice yesterday and one of our goals was to communicate a little bit more," Swett said, following Friday's win. "The talking and communication really helped us get that win today."
Brown was asked if she was nervous, competing in her first match on sand.
"I was an excited kind of nervous," she said. "We were really tired at the end and were really encouraging each other. There was a lot of energy and our teammates really helped push us through."
On Saturday, Dajsha Fields and Lannah Huneycutt had just lost a tough three-set match to a pair from Bryant and Stratton as Mackenzie and Brown were being extended to a third set on the adjacent court. Tied at 13-13, a kill by Swett put them ahead before they closed out their second win.
"Mackenzie and Emma have gotten better with each other each game they've played," Riggan said. "I have enjoyed seeing how excited they get for each other and support each other.
"Their communication is getting better and working together seems to be easier for them both. You really have to trust your partner when you're covering this much of the court with just 2's. I'm super proud of them."
Riggan felt the tournament was a success. Saturday's pairs for the home team also included Lawrence and Alyssa Maragelis, Alexis Hinson and Anna Ty Ivey, and Ray and Rachel Burley.
"We're just figuring out who plays well together and I think that's the beauty of the sport," the coach said. "I was really proud of the girls today for having a new partner. They came out with intensity and took some sets, and there were some matches that could have easily gone either way.
"The weather cooperated with us. We got a little sprinkle yesterday, but you couldn't ask for a better day today. There was a lot of good volleyball. I was excited to end on a positive note heading into next week."
C. Bergmann
