ROCKINGHAM — Overcoming the loss of a starting player toward the end of the first set, the Richmond Senior High School junior varsity volleyball team extended its winning streak to six matches on Tuesday.
Riding a wave of momentum for the last three weeks, the Lady Raiders sandwiched together a pair of set wins over Sandhills Athletic Conference foe Pinecrest High School. Richmond won the first and third sets to earn the 2-1 win.
Set scores were 25-22, 11-25 and 15-13. The final stanza featured a come-from-behind win, which saw the Lady Raiders close on a 6-3 run.
Freshman middle hitter Katie Way, who has been a key player all season, exited the first set with an apparent ankle injury with the score tied at 19 points. But sophomore Brianna Dodson stepped up and helped Richmond earn the win.
“These girls definitely have been playing well together, but they also know how to pick themselves up when things start getting rocky,” head coach Melissa Dennis said. “They know how to talk to each other and are great at reading each other.
“The girls finished out the first set well and didn’t miss a beat,” she added. “Katie was still involved and communicating from the sideline for every play when she was out. That says a lot about what she brings to the team. The girls were able to adapt well and played through.”
Battling early, a block by freshman Makailah Jackson knotted the first set at nine points. That was followed by an ace from freshman Allie Rodgers, which kept the two teams tied at 11.
Trailing by three points a couple plays later, Richmond went on a 7-0 run to take a 19-15 lead. The stretch saw freshman Emma Altman collect one of her team-high three aces.
Following Way’s injury, the Lady Raiders ended the first set on a 6-3 spurt. Jackson added another block at the net, and several unforced errors by Pinecrest ended the frame.
“The sixth win in a row feels great, especially with it being Pinecrest who beat us last time,” Altman said. “We were confident and started off with a lot of energy and we didn’t let them get a big run during the first set.
“I’m really proud of the way we played today, especially when we were down by a few points in the third set and came back.”
Pinecrest controlled the second set after breaking a 6-6 tie. The Lady Patriots used an 8-2 run to force a Richmond timeout with the home team trailing 16-8. Pinecrest would take nine of the next 12 points to win the set, but Dodson had an ace late to keep Richmond alive.
The third set started with a 6-2 Richmond lead thanks to a Dodson kill and consecutive aces from Altman. Rodgers added a push a few plays later to maintain a one-point lead.
Pinecrest swung the momentum in its favor to regain a 12-9 lead, which caused Dennis to call a timeout. Out of the break, a serving error by the Lady Patriots started the match-winning run for Richmond.
Sophomore Quston Leviner served two aces down the stretch and a hitting error by Pinecrest that sailed long ended the night with a Richmond victory.
“We definitely made some mistakes that cost us in the second set,” Dennis explained. “We let them get some momentum and they came after us.
“I told the girls that they have to want it, so I let them talk to each other. They really respond to each other and they accept each other’s advice. In the third set we had to adjust and change around our serve receive.”
Altman, Dodson, Leviner, Jenna Gardner and Joy Styles each recorded one kill. Accompanying Altman’s three aces were two from Leviner and one each from Dodson, Rodgers and Styles. From the back row, Rodgers impressed with a team-high seven digs.
“It may seem corny, but me and Katie have a tradition of high-fiving before every set and after we score points,” Altman said. “When Brianna came in, I made sure we got our high-fives in, too.
“Even though Katie wasn’t on the court, we could sure hear her like she was right beside us. She cheered us on every point and never let us get our heads down.”
The JV Lady Raiders (6-3 SAC) will look to keep the fire burning Thursday when they travel to Jack Britt High School, the last team they lost to on Nov. 23. Action will get underway at 5 p.m.
