Lady Flyers Cap Day One in Virginia with a Five-Set Victory Over Bobcats

Facing a match point situation three times during a tiebreaker set on Friday evening, the Sandhills Community College volleyball team drew even against host Bryant and Stratton before a service ace by L'Asia Jackson wrapped up a 25-21, 12-25, 20-25, 25-22 and 18-16 victory.

Earlier, the Lady Flyers defeated College of Southern Maryland 25-20, 25-19, 13-25 and 25-18. They take an overall record of 5-5 into Saturday's final day of the tri-match held at Norfolk Collegiate School.

Coach Alicia Riggan's squad has a return engagement with College of Southern Maryland at noon. They meet Mid-Atlantic Christian University at 2 p.m.

Freshmen Dajsha Fields with 10 kills and Madison Brower with nine, and sophomore Keke Lawrence with eight, helped propel the Lady Flyers to the victory over Southern Maryland.  

Returning after missing the previous four matches due to an ankle injury, freshman setter Lannah Huneycutt contributed six kills.

Later, the Lady Flyers jumped out to a 9-3 lead against Bryant and Stratton and never trailed while taking the first set. But with decisive wins in the next two, the Bobcats appeared to be in control of the match.

The fourth set was knotted up for the 12^th time at 20-20 before back-to-back kills by Brower gave the Flyers a two-point advantage. They led 23-22 after a kill by Fields. Moments later, a service ace by sophomore Abby Quick forced the 15-point tie-breaker set.

The two teams were never more than two points apart in the tense finale. The Bobcats were a point away from victory, leading 14-13, 15-14 and 16-15.

A kill by middle hitter Mackenzie Swett tied it at 16-16. The decisive points came on four hits by the Bobcats, leading up to Jackson's ace.

Brower contributed nine kills and Lawrence seven to the cause. Quick was credited with two service aces.

C. Bergmann