HAMLET — It’s been a pretty busy and successful pre-season for the Hamlet Middle School girls’ volleyball team.
The Lady Red Rams, coached by Alex Gardner, have prepared for their regular-season opener set for Monday with several scrimmages, as well as a trip to McBee, South Carolina, to compete in the Sandhills Middle School Tournament.
Hamlet walked away from the pre-season tournament with a championship win, and swept both of its conference opponents, Spring Hill and Sandy Grove middle schools, in a pre-season scrimmage jamboree.
In South Carolina last weekend, the Lady Red Rams played three pool games of two sets each to 15 points. They defeated McBee Club 2-0, earning set scores of 15-7 and 18-16 in the opening match, and followed with another 2-0 sweep over New Heights Club (16-14, 15-0).
The third pool game saw Hamlet split with Long Middle School, with the Lady Red Rams winning the first set 15-9 before dropping the second set 15-17. Per tournament rules, Hamlet earned the No. 2 seed in bracket play based on the number of points allowed in the pool matches.
Leading scorers during pool play consisted of: Katie Way (19 aces, four kills and two digs), Jenna Gardner (four aces) and Christi Jacobs (two aces, two kills and one dig). Players Paige Goodman, Keelan Fisher and Emma Altman each had two aces, while Orena Drake had one.
In the opening round of bracket play, which saw games go to their normal 25 points, No. 2 Hamlet defeated No. 3 Hannah Pamplico in straight sets, 25-12 and 25-8. Way had five aces and four kills, while Ryelan Lyerly added six aces and two kills.
Drake tallied three aces, Jacobs notched a kill, Gardner had two aces and Jakayla Steele finished with one ace.
Hamlet rolled in the second round with another sweep, this time over McBee Middle School. The 2-0 win consisted of set scores of 25-14 and 25-18. Jacobs led the way with two aces and three kills, and Gardner added four aces and a kill.
Altman served five aces from the serving line and notched two kills, Way had two kills and Lyerly added and ace.
The championship match saw the Lady Red Rams face Long Middle School for the second time during the day, and Hamlet was all business this time, sweeping its opponent in two sets. Set scores were 25-17 and 25-21 to lock up the championship win.
Jacobs led the team with five kills and finished with two aces, Lyerly had three kills and two aces, Way notched two kills and an ace, Gardner added a kill and an ace and Addyson Hollingsworth had one ace.
“I am extremely excited for this season,” Garner commented. “I see crazy potential in the team I have this year. They play so well together and their communication is the reason for their success thus far.
“I believe as the season progresses we will have even more growth. I would love to coach this team as long as I possibly can.”
Following the win in McBee, the Lady Red Rams battled Sandy Grove and Spring Hill on Thursday. Both scrimmages, which consisted of three sets to 15 points saw Hamlet win, starting with a 3-0 win over the Lady Spartans.
Hamlet won by set scores of 15-9, 15-10 and 15-3. Way had six aces and one kill, Lyerly added four aces, Jacobs finished with one ace and one kills, and Gardner, Goodman and Drake combined for three aces.
The match against the Lady Panthers saw Hamlet win two of the three sets, 15-11 and 15-7. Leading scorers were Way (four aces, one kill), Lyerly (two aces, three kills), Altman (two aces), and Drake and Gardner both had one ace and one dig.
The Lady Red Rams will open its regular season on Monday against Southeastern Middle School Athletic Conference opponent Ellerbe Middle School at 4 p.m. in Hamlet.
Ellerbe drops season-opening matches to Carver
On Thursday, the Ellerbe Middle School girls’ volleyball team opened its season with a non-conference meeting with Carver Middle School.
The Lady Wildcats dropped both of their matches to the Lady Eagles in straight sets. In the first match, Ellerbe fell 17-25 and 22-25, and the second match was 17-25 and 16-25.
Despite great serving from Ally Maynor, head coach Kristin Svitak said she was “pleased with the team’s effort and the girls played their hearts out.”
Ellerbe (0-2) will open conference play on Monday at Hamlet at 4 p.m.
