After splitting the first two sets the James River girls caught fire and won a volleyball match going away Monday. The Knights beat Three Rivers District rival Alleghany in Low Moor in four sets.
River won the first set, 25-17, but the host Mountaineers tied the match in the second, 25-20. River turned the tables on Alleghany with a 25-20 win in the third, then put it away with a 25-16 win in the fourth.
River had balanced scoring across the net as Michaela Hedrick had 10 kills and Emma Lester and Emma Francis had nine each. Rachel Harless had 33 digs, while Mary Hoye had 21 and three aces. Bailey Mines had 21 assists, Belle Stewart had eight and Brea Anduiza had four assists and five aces.
River dropped two matches last week, both against district opponents. Last Tuesday at home the Knights dropped a four-setter to Carroll County, 25-7, 25-18, 21-25 and 25-15.
On Thursday in Springwood they lost another four-setter, this time Radford. The Bobcats won the first set, 25-15, but River took a close one to tie the match with a 25-23 win in the second. Radford then won a close on, 25-23, to regain the lead and pulled away with a 25-15 win in the fourth.
“Another hard fought match,” said coach Davina Copsey. “We spread the offense around more.”
Francis had five kills and six blocks, while Bella Gilliland had four kills, five blocks and a pair of aces. Lester had four kills and 23 digs. Hoye had 26 digs, Harless had 25, Mines had 11 assists and Anduiza had 10.
The girls are back in action Thursday of this week to host Floyd in another district match against the Three Rivers District leader. Floyd is undefeated in the district after defeating Glenvar last week, and next Tuesday the Knights are at Glenvar.
