The Lord Botetourt and James River volleyball teams will go head to head tonight in the first of two intra-county matches this season. James River will host the first meeting in Springwood.
On Tuesday, the Cavaliers were also scheduled to play at home against Cave Spring, but results were too late for publication. Last week LB split matches with Auburn and Blacksburg to go 2-3 on the season.
Against Auburn, the host Eagles took a grueling five-set win in Riner. Auburn won the first two sets, 25-11 and 25-23, before the Cavaliers came storming back to win the next two, 25-21 and 25-18, to even the match. Auburn then won the fifth and deciding set, 15-10, as Eagle coach Sherry Millirons swept the season series from her sister, LB coach Julie Conner.
“We had a slow start against Auburn but turned things around and forced a fifth set,” said Conner. “The girls played with a lot of heart and had some unbelievable rallies down the stretch.”
Nora Spickard had 12 kills, 16 digs, and two aces against Auburn, while Julianna Stephenson and Sydney Whorley had seven kills each. Anna Dewease had 35 digs, and Skylar Morris had 30 assists.
“We bounced back and had an awesome match against a strong Blacksburg team,” said Conner.
Spickard had 14 kills and four aces, while Stephenson had 11 kills. Morris had 40 assists, Dewease had 34 digs, and Emma Rice had four kills and four aces.
James River had a doubleheader against Covington last Thursday and swept both matches to improve to 3-0 on the season. Lexi McCullough had eight kills in the opener, while Emma Lester and Bella Gilliland had seven each. Lester also had four aces while Bailey Mines dished out 13 assists, and Rachel Harless had a dozen digs.
In the nightcap, Gilliland led with eight kills and five blocks. Elly Lackey had five kills, Harless had 14 digs, and Lester had 14 digs, two kills, two blocks, and a couple of aces.
After tonight’s match with LB, the Knights will stay at home against Staunton River on Thursday.
