Photo by Jim Devinney
Talk about a hot streak! The James River volleyball team won four matches in a row in a week’s time, including three Three Rivers District wins in three days.
The streak started on Tuesday, October 11, with a three set win over Alleghany. The Knights won 25-16, 25-14 and 26-24 at Alleghany High.
Emma Francis led the Knights with four kills. Jadyn Miller had seven kills and 10 digs while Ava Thacker had six kills and an ace. Bella Gilliland added five kills and three aces, Mary Hoye led the defense with 14 digs and sophomore setters Belle Stewart and Konner Myers had a dozen assists each.
A night later the girls hosted Radford in a previously postponed match and the Knights won in four, 25-20, 25-19, 19-25 and 25-18. Miller had 11 kills and Thacker had 10. Francis had seven kills and added three blocks while Gilliland had two kills and three blocks. Hoye had 22 digs and Kaylyn Bryant stepped up with three kills and three blocks.
On Thursday Floyd was here for the third match in as many days and the result was the same, a James River win against a district opponent. This one went four sets as River lost the first, 25-23, but bounced back to take the next three in a row, 25-10, 25-23 and 25-23.
Francis had 11 kills and Bryant had five and 17 digs. Miller had a strong all-around game with nine kills, four aces and 18 digs. Hoye had 29 digs and five aces, Stewart and Myers combined for 24 assists and Ripley Barry had two kills, two blocks and a pair of aces.
The girls had the weekend off but they were back in action Monday at Stuarts Draft, where they won their fourth match in row. This one was over in three sets, 25-17, 25-18 and 25-17.
Francis had nine kills and three blocks while Gilliland and Miller had six kills each. Barry had three kills and three blocks, Brea Anduiza served up a game high seven aces and Myers and Stewart had 25 assists. Myers also had four aces.
The four-match win streak lifted River’s record to an even 7-7 on the season. They were scheduled to put the streak on the line Tuesday with a trip to Glenvar, the defending Class 2 state champs. The Highlanders are undefeated this season, and on Thursday the Knights have another tough opponent when they travel to Hillsville to take on Carroll County.