SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Even though the class of 2019 has yet to turn its tassels, fall sports are already getting underway at Richmond Senior High School. For two area volleyball players, it never really ended.
Rising juniors Georgia Grace Anderson and Emy Cooley have been hitting the courts as part of the Athletic Club of the Sandhills volleyball program since Richmond’s 2018 season ended in late October. The two Lady Raiders compete as part of the program’s 16U Black team, which was recently named the Division III regional champions in March.
AC Sandhills is a non-profit group based in Moore County whose mission is “to offer as many recreational or competitive avenues for youth and adults to play and have fun through sport.” The 34-year-old organization focuses primarily on soccer, but has recently expanded to include other sports like volleyball and lacrosse.
Over the weekend, the 16U Black team started its AAU season at the South Carolina Grand Prix Tournament in Spartanburg, S.C. The team finished in eighth place out of 20 teams in its division, but Cooley and Anderson both feel like their team played well against some very competitive opponents.
“We played some really tough games and after a hard fight, lost in the semifinals of the silver bracket,” Cooley said of event. “All in all, we did pretty well, but we are looking to clean some things up and do better this weekend at Virginia Tech.”
“This tournament was a qualifying tournament for nationals in Orlando,” Anderson explained of the stiff competition. “Clubs sent the best teams they had to offer.”
Despite going 3-3 on the weekend, the AC Sandhills team managed to keep every set close. It opened play on Saturday by sweeping the Grand Strand Juniors Purple Team from Conway, S.C., 25-19 and 25-21.
Then ACS dropped a heartbreaker in three sets (16-25, 25-22, 14-16) to a really good Xcel Premier team from Hendersonville, N.C., before falling to the Carolina Juniors from Charlotte in two sets (18-25, 22-25).
Sunday went much better for the AC Sandhills club. They defeated Spartanburg’s Upward Stars on their home court 25-18 and 25-20 to end pool play.
In the first round of the silver bracket, they earned a big win over the Grand Strand Junior Black team in two sets (25-22, 28-26), before falling in the semifinal round to the Aftershock Volleyball Club (19-25, 20-25).
Anderson and Cooley see many of their teammates on the other side of the net during scholastic play in the fall. Joining them on the AC Sandhills roster are Vivian Camplin (Pinecrest), Madeline Dishman (O’Neal), Sophi Galford (Pinecrest), Chloe Modlin (Pinecrest), Emmie Modlin (Pinecrest), Madisen Ringley (Pinecrest) and Gianna Silvestri (Union Pines).
The AC Sandhills Black Team will return to action this weekend at Virginia Tech University.
