Cedar Ridge 3, Western Alamance 1: One-third of the way through the Central Carolina Conference slate, it appears that the center of volleyball is in Hillsborough once again this year.
After getting swept by Orange last week, Cedar Ridge has responded with three straight wins. The latest came on Tuesday night when the Red Wolves outlasted Western Alamance 3-1 at Red Wolves Gymnasium. It marked the first time that the Warriors took a set from Cedar Ridge since the two teams became conference rivals in 2021.
The Red Wolves (7-4, 4-1 in the CCC) won on scores of 25-9, 23-25, 25-21 and 25-18.
Cedar Ridge was never challenged in the first set behind a 17-4 run to start the frame. Senior Addie Reid had three blocks in the opening set, while Claire Hargett had three kills and two aces. Senior Graylinn Serge racked up kills on four of the last five Cedar Ridge points, including on set point.
The Warriors battled back from a 13-8 deficit in the second set to take the frame. A kill by freshman Reese Walker evened the set at 20-20. Avery Wilson had a key block to square things at 22-22, while junior Haley Clayton notched a kill to put the Warriors ahead,. Walker scored set point and evened the match off a block.
Cedar Ridge didn’t trail in the third set. Hargett had consecutive kills set up by senior Rachel Alverson to put the Red Wolves ahead 7-3. After Walker scored another block, Cedar Ridge went on a 5-0 run with Hargett serving. Hargett had an ace while Reid tallied an unassisted kill. Another point by Hargett put the Red Wolves ahead 19-11 and led to a Warriors timeout. Serge, Reid and Ellie Woolson had the final kills of the third set to put the Red Wolves ahead two-sets-to-one.
The third set had three early ties before the Red Wolves went on a 6-2 spurt to take a 15-10 lead. Sophomore Kayla Stoll stepped up for a big unassisted kill, followed by another finished form Hargett.
Cedar Ridge will travel to Walter Williams on Thursday night.
Orange 3, Southern Alamance 0: Orange stretched its streak to 20 consecutive sets won with a sweep of Southern Alamance on Tuesday night in Graham to remain undefeated in Central Carolina Conference play.
Sophomore Aubrey Jordan finished with eleven kills, while Ella Wimsatt finished with nine kills, five digs and three aces. Sophomore setter Katie Silcott had 17 assists, three kills and 18 digs as Orange won its ninth straight match.
Southern Alamance falls to 2-7, 0-3 in the CCC.
The Patriots were even with Orange at 13-13 midway through the first set. On a crucial point, Silcott made three digs during a long rally which ended with Jordan scoring off a spike from the outside post off a feed from Silcott to put Orange ahead 15-13. It remained tied 20-20 before Orange scored the final five points of the set, starting with a return by the Patriots that went long. Jordan scored off an assist, while Wimsatt had back-to-back aces. An attack by Southern Alamance was out to give Orange the set 25-21.
Wimsatt had five kills in the second set, but the Patriots jumped out to a 5-1 lead. That advantage was erased after a 5-0 Orange run that included an ace by Silcott and kills by Wimsatt and Ava Wilkerson, who finished with eight kills, three assists, a block and an ace.
Orange scored the final three points of the second set, ending with a kill by Wimsatt.
Jordan had five kills in the third set, where many Orange players had a chance to get off the bench. Seven different Orange players scored points in the final frame. Jordan spiked home match point off an assist from freshman Sawyer White.
Orange will host Roxboro Community School in Hillsborough on Wednesday night. The Lady Panthers swept the Bulldogs on Friday night in Person County.