The Cedar Ridge volleyball team is learning on the job what it’s like to be the hunted. Especially for a team that starts three freshmen.
On Tuesday night, the Red Wolves retained its share of first place in the Big 8 Conference with a 3-2 win over Vance County at Red Wolves Gymnasium. The Red Wolves prevailed on scores of 25-14, 16-25, 25-15, 20-25, 15-3. It was the second five set match of the year for Cedar Ridge. Two weeks ago, the Red Wolves stunned Chapel Hill in five set in front of a rowdy crowd in Hillsborough.
With the win, Cedar Ridge is 11-2, 5-1 in the Big 8 Conference. Cedar Ridge will host Southern Durham on Thursday night. With one more win, the Red Wolves will clinch its first winning season since 2016, when they reached the Eastern Regional Championship match.
The Red Wolves remain tied with Chapel Hill and East Chapel Hill for first place in the Big 8. East Chapel Hill, who lost to Orange on Monday, rebounded with a 3-1 victory over Northwood in Pittsboro on Tuesday. Also on Tuesday, Chapel Hill swept Northern Durham 25-11, 25-16, and 25-8. Since losing to Cedar Ridge, the Tigers have won five in a row, dropping just one set in the process.
In the Bull City on Tuesday night, Orange rolled past Southern Durham 3-0 for its third win in four matches. The Lady Panthers cruised on scores of 25-4, 25-15 and 25-10.
Sophomore Avery Miller led Orange with eleven kills. It’s the fourth time this year that Miller has finished in double-digits in kills. Her career-high of 13 kills came in the 3-2 loss to Cedar Ridge on September 12.
Senior Kaitlyn Werden had ten aces, three digs and 23 assists. Freshman Erin Jordan-Cornell had six kills.
Orange is now 9-5 overall, 4-2 in the Big 8. After its win over East Chapel Hill on Monday, the Lady Panthers’ MaxPreps ranking went up to #21 among 3A teams. Chapel Hill is #2, Cedar Ridge is #11, East Chapel Hill is #18. Person, who Orange split the season series with, is #12.
Orange will host Northern Durham on Thursday. The Knights defeated Orange three times last season, including in the opening round of the Big 8 Conference Tournament last October.
Men’s Soccer: Orange opened the week with back-to-back matches. Northwood held off Orange 2-1 in Pittsboro, despite the Panthers having many chances that they failed to convert. The Chargers earned a penalty kick with nine minutes remaining, which they converted. Tyler Werden scored the Panthers’ only goal.
On Tuesday night, the defending 3A State Champion Chapel Hill defeated Orange 2-0 in a match that was scoreless at halftime. The Panthers are 4-6, 1-4 in the Big 8 Conference. Orange will travel to Carrboro on Friday.
On Monday, Northern Durham defeated Cedar Ridge 5-0 at Jack Armstrong Stadium in Durham. The Red Wolves are 3-6-1, 1-3 in the Big 8 Conference. Cedar Ridge hosts East Chapel Hill at Red Wolves Stadium on Wednesday night (tonight).