The Lord Botetourt girls got a little revenge for last Friday’s football loss when the Cavaliers edged James River in volleyball Monday night. Botetourt pulled out a dramatic five-game win in Daleville.
“It was a very exciting win,” said LB coach Cheryl Shockley. “A lot of credit goes to all the team members. The girls really played well.”
It was a heartbreaker for River, who led 12-4 in the fifth game before the Cavaliers rallied behind the serving of Erin Lee. Botetourt then pulled out the game, and the match, by a 16-14 score in the fifth game.
“The girls played very hard through the whole match,” said River coach Audrey Easter. “We are very grateful for all the support we had at LB to play our cross-county rival and hope for the same amount of support when we play against them at home next week.”
The gym was rocking at LB as the host team took the first game, 25-21. River rallied to win the second, 25-19, but LB edged the Knights in a close third game, 25-24, to regain the lead. River then won the fourth game, 25-16, to tie the match and appeared to have it under control in the fifth game to 15 until Lee served eight consecutive points to swing the momentum. River was up 9-1 at one point of the fifth game.
“Our girls just never gave up,” said Shockley. “It was a great match. James River played very well.”
Katey Hall led the Cavaliers with nine kills. Macey Tyree had eight kills and 17 digs and Brooke Fuhrey had six kills. Allyssa King had four kills and Lee finished with 13 digs.
Rachel Parker and Kelsey Argabright split the setting chores and both did well. Parker finished with 19 assists and Argabright had 13.
For the Knights, Conner Sprinkle had five aces, one block, five digs and seven kills. Taylor Statome had three blocks, 14 digs, 30 assists and two kills on a busy night. Maribeth Kern had two aces, four blocks, two assists, eight digs and 13 kills.
“And Haily Cook performed phenomenally as we moved her positions and she still earned 17 digs,” said Easter.
The two teams will play again next Thursday, Sept. 9, only this time River will host.
Monday’s win improved LB to 2-1 overall. Last Thursday at home the Cavaliers dropped a four-game match to a strong Jefferson Forest team, 25-13, 25-13, 19-25 and 25-20.
“They had some big hitters,” said Shockley. “We got off to an awesome start. Our girls were pumped up and went right after them, but they called a timeout and made some adjustments. They were very good.”
Hall had 10 kills, Tyree had nine and Fuhrey had three. Parker and Argabright split 23 assists, and Lee and Tyree had 14 digs each.
LB was scheduled to host Pulaski County on Tuesday, and Thursday night the girls have their first road game with a trip to Glenvar. Next week Glenvar is here Tuesday.
The Knights are 1-1 after Monday’s loss, having opened with a three-game win over Alleghany in Low Moor, 25-14, 25-22 and 25-17.
The Knights were led by Kern, Statome and Savannah Sharkey. Kern, playing both as a middle hitter and an outside hitter, posted four kills, a block, five aces and two digs.
“Her jump serve proved to be our best offensive weapon against the Mountaineers,” said Easter.
Statome, the setter, added seven assists, two aces, four digs and one kill. Sharkey, River’s senior middle hitter, posted two kills, one assist and two blocks.
On Thursday the Knights have their first home game of the season against Floyd.
“Floyd is a great game for us because they are a Division 2, Group A school as well and will be a perfect match,” said Easter. “We split games with Floyd last season.”