Photo by Jacques Morin
The embryonic stages of any team’s season is a time to grow, develop and learn.
Coming off winning the 3A Eastern Regional championship in 2023, Orange volleyball coach Hope Heverly started this season by scheduling four non-conference opponents, three of whom went undefeated in their respective leagues last year.
Right away, her team started to learn about itself, first in victory, then in defeat against a traditional powerhouse.
On Tuesday, Orange defeated Roxboro Community School in four sets, winning 25-15, 21-25, 25-11 and 25-17. Junior Katie Silcott, who alternates between setter and outside hitter, finished with a triple-double of ten kills, 22 assists and ten digs. She also served Orange out of a competitive opening set with three straight aces to go ahead 24-16. Junior Aubrey Jordan ended the frame off an attack set up by Silcott.
The Bulldogs, who went 12-0 to win the 1A Triangle North Conference in 2023, captured the second set when they opened up a 12-7 lead following consecutive blocks by senior Kynlee Brooks. The third set was tied 11-11 before Ava Wilkerson swatted down a set by Silcott, which triggered a 7-3 Orange run. Freshman Aubrey Hodges, the latest protege in the lengthy (in several ways) Hodges/Wilson family tree that includes her older cousins Bryse and Payton Wilson, blocked an attack from Brooks for the 24th point, and Orange closed out the set a point later when a Bulldog spike went wide.
Orange sophomore Sawyer White had five kills in the final set, where Orange jumped out to a 7-2 lead. Wilkerson added four more kills and Orange pressed the Bulldogs into attacking miscues to take the final set for its first win of the season.
The following night, D.H. Conley’s Britni Silver racked up 17 kills to pave the way for the Vikings to beat Orange 3-1 in Hillsborough. The Vikings, who improved to 3-0 after beating Hoggard on Friday, ended Orange’s 18-game regular season home court winning streak. Cedar Ridge was the last team to beat Orange in a regular season game on September 6, 2022 (The Red Wolves also defeated Orange in the Central Conference Tournament championship game last year in a postseason matchup).
Each of the first three sets came down to the wire. Wilkerson evened the opening game at 21-21 following an assist from Silcott. Conley took the final four points of the game off a serve from Olivia Jones, which included an ace and a kill by Emilee Wilson.
“With the start of this season, I think we’re a little bit out of shape,” Heverly said. “Their #15 (Silver) found her swing, for sure, in the fourth game. So that helped them on their side.”
Orange evened the match by taking the second set 25-23. The frame was even at 17-17 when Sawyer blocked an attack by Silver, followed by consecutive kills from Wilkerson. Orange had four sets points, but Conley narrowed the lead until a serve by Wilson went wide on set point.
“I was proud of the girls that they didn’t give up, no matter what the score difference was,” Heverly said. “So it was exciting to see the grit that they’re already showing three weeks into our season. So it will be interesting to see how that progresses throughout that season.”
Neither team could get consecutive points to open the third set. There were ten ties before Conley reeled off four straight to take a 14-10 lead, which included consecutive blocks by Olivia Jones. Hodges stuffed an attack by Silver, which led to the largest crowd reaction of the night, to give Orange a side out.
“She’s stepping up big time as a freshman,” Heverly said of Hodges. “She has a really big drive where she wants to continue to get better so we’re excited about the growth she’s gonna have throughout this season.”
Conley won four of the last five points to win the third 25-20. Silver had three kills in the final four points, along with an ace from Olivia Jones.
The Vikings roared out to a 8-2 lead to start the fourth as it appeared Orange was worn down. The Panthers didn’t any closer than 13-6 following a kill by Jordan. Conley’s Emilee Wilson spiked home match point to win the fourth 25-12.
“We always want the win,” Heverly said. “But I was very pleased with how the girls played. They all worked hard. They came together as a team, even in the tough moments. With it being the second match, it wasn’t too bad.”
Orange will travel to Jordan on Tuesday. Falls Lake, the defending 1A Eastern Regional champion, will visit Orange on Thursday.