Cedar Ridge Volleyball

We journey back to Thanksgiving for today’s Retro Cedar Ridge Wolf of the Week. Sophomore Cameron Lloyd has quickly racked up honor after honor after just two years at Cedar Ridge. In January, Cedar Ridge captured the Big 8 Conference Championship after they romped through the regular season with an 8-0 record. Lloyd was the team Most Valuable Player and was an All-Big 8 Conference performer. Currently, Lloyd is on the American Volleyball Coaches Association Phenom Watch List. She wasn’t aimed a Class of 2023 Outside Hitter Watch List for PrepVolleyball.com. Lloyd was the USA Volleyball District 1 Most Valuable Player and was named an AAU Junior National All-Star. On this week where Lloyd is being honored, she had 16 kills in a 3-0 victory over Northern Durham at Poe Gymtorium, which was Cedar Ridge’s third win of the year on November 24. The daughter of Joel and Sherry Lloyd of White Cross, Cameron’s older sister Jordan played volleyball at Brevard College. Cameron helped Cedar Ridge defeat Union Pines in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs, and looks to help the Red Wolves return to the top of the new Central Conference this August with new league rivals like Person, Western Alamance and Eastern Alamance. This is the second time that Cameron has been honored as Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week in her career, which means she’s in line to become among the first members of the Hillsboroughsports.com four-timers club.

Robert Jones: After capturing the gold medal at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championships in the high jump, former Cedar Ridge Red Wolf Robert Jones earned his third victory of the season. Last weekend, Jones finished first in the men’s high jump at the Aggie Classic Twilight at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro. Jones’ winning jump was 2.05 meters. This season, Jones has not finished outside the top-five in any of the events he’s competed in. He now heads to the NCAA Eastern Regional Championships, which will start Thursday inside Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida.

Mia Davidson: The Mississippi State softball team’s season came to an end over the weekend in the Stillwater Regional of the NCAA Softball Tournament. The Bulldogs opened play with a 3-1 win over Boston University on Friday afternoon at Cowgirl Stadium in Stillwater, OK. On Saturday afternoon, #5 Oklahoma State defeated Mississippi State 9-3. In the elimination game on Saturday night, Mississippi State easily defeated Campbell 12-0 in five innings. Oklahoma State eliminated the Bulldogs 10-2 in five innings on Sunday afternoon. Mia Davidson opened the tournament going 1-for-3 against the Terriers. She had an RBI fielder’s choice to score Aquana Brownlee in the fifth inning. In the first game against the Cowgirls, Mia went 1-for-3. Against Campbell, Davidson hit the 69th home run of her career. That moved her into sole possession of 2nd place all-time in Southeastern Conference history. It was also her third home run in the NCAA Tournament for Mississippi State, another school record. Mississippi State broke a school record with four home runs in an NCAA Tournament game. In the third inning, Mia tagged out Campbell’s Katelyn Chisholm at the plate. Davidson went 1-for-2 in her final game of the season. Mississippi State took a 1-0 lead in the opening inning after Davidson drove in a run with a single up the middle. It was her seventh career RBI in the NCAA Tournament, which is third in school history. She also reached base for the 20th straight game, a new career-high. Mia ended the year with a .311 batting average after starting all 60 of the Bulldogs’ games. She was second on the team with 17 home runs. She also registered 42 RBIs. Davidson, who was accepted into graduate’s school last month, will enter her senior season only two home runs shy of the SEC record, held by Florida’s Lauren Haeger.

Montana Davidson: Montana started all four of Mississippi State’s games at third base in the NCAA Tournament. Against Boston University, she singled up the middle in the sixth to knock in Christian Quinn for the game’s final run. Montana finished 1-for-3 against the Terriers. She went 0-for-3 against Oklahoma State. Later in the day against Campbell, Montana finished 1-for-3. She scored in the 3rd inning off a Carter Spexarth. On Sunday, Davidson drove in the final Mississippi State run of the year with a single in the 2nd inning. For the season, Montana finished with a .252 batting average in 58 games. She had three home runs and 21 RBIs. Mississippi State finished the year 34-23, which included an 8-game winning streak down the stretch. Montana is a senior, but can opt for another year of eligibility after the COVID-19 pandemic ended the 2020 season before the NCAA Tournament started.

Tori Dalehite: After winning the Southern Conference Championship for the first time, the UNC Greensboro softball team participated in the NCAA Tournament for the first time this weekend. Duke defeated the Spartans 2-0 in the opening game of the Athens, Georgia regional at the University of Georgia. Western Kentucky ended the Spartans season 8-4 in the elimination game at Jack Turner Stadium. Dalehite, a freshman, didn’t play in either game. This year, Dalehite appeared in 12 games, almost exclusively as a pinch runner. She had one at-bat, walked once and scored six runs. UNCG finished 34-17, 14-4 in the Southern Conference.

Jaylin Jones: Jones was named to the Division III USA South Athletic Conference first-team as a short-stick defensive midfielder over the weekend. Jones, who played lacrosse and football at Orange, also was named to the USA South All-East Division first-team. On Saturday, Pfeiffer captured the USA South East Division championship with a 13-11 win over Greensboro College at Lefko Field in Misenheimer. It was Pfeiffer’s tenth consecutive victory, a school record. Jones had two ground balls and created two turnovers. Next weekend, Pfeiffer will face Piedmont College for the USA South Conference championship at Lefko Field. The winner advances to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Montana Davidson: On Friday, the former Orange High shortstop hit two home runs for the Mississippi State softball team in an 8-7 loss to South Carolina at Carolina Softball Stadium in Columbia, S.C. In the second inning, Montana drilled a two-run homer to centerfield. In the fourth, Davidson hit a solo blast to left field. Montana finished 2-for-4 with 4 RBIs. Mississippi State bounced back with wins on Saturday and Sunday to take the series. On Saturday, Montana had an RBI off a fielder’s choice to wrap up a 6-run 1st inning as the Bulldogs won 6-2. Davidson went 2-for-3 with an RBI double as Mississippi State won 7-1. For the weekend, Montana hit .400 with a team-high 6 RBIs.

Mia Davidson: Mia tied a Mississippi State record with her 67th career home run in Sunday’s win over the Gamecocks. Davidson hit a solo home run in the fifth inning to tie Rafael Palmeiro for the most home runs in Mississippi State history, baseball or softball. Mia is now in 3rd place in Southeastern Conference softball history for career home runs behind Florida’s Lauren Haeger (71) and Georgia’s Alyssa DiCarlo (69). Davidson also drew a walk with the bases loaded against the Gamecocks in the sixth inning. On Saturday, Mia drove in the Bulldogs’ opening run with another bases loaded walk. She finished 1-for-3. On Friday, she went 0-for-3. Mississippi State is now 27-22, 3-15 in the SEC.

Tori Dalehite: On Saturday, Mercer defeated UNC Greensboro softball 2-1 in the opening game of a doubleheader at Sikes Field in Macon, GA. Dalehite entered the game as a pinch runner. The Spartans rebounded to win the final two games of the series and are now 28-15 overall, 11-4 in the Southern Conference.

Jaden Hurdle: On the weekend she celebrated her 19th birthday, Hurdle had several strong performances for the Patrick Henry Community College softball team. On Sunday, Patrick Henry swept a doubleheader from Surry Community College in Martinsville, VA. In the opening 4-3 win, Hurdle earned the save as she threw the final two-thirds of an inning. She surrendered one hit. At the plate, Hurdle went 0-for-3. The Patriots won the nightcap 4-0. Hurdle hit her ninth home run of the season. She also had an RBI double and finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored. On Friday, Florence-Darlington Technical College swept a doubleheader from Patrick Henry by identical 5-2 scores. In the opener, Hurdle went 1-for-3 with a double. Patrick Henry finished the regular season 19-17 overall, 13-7 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association. The Patriots finished 3rd in the Region X West Division, only one game behind first-place Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute. In 34 games, Hurdle hit .356 with nine home runs and 27 RBIs. On May 14, Patrick Henry will be in the Region 10 Tournament at Springwood Park in Burlington.

Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team split a doubleheader with Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute at Highland Recreation Center in Hickory on Saturday. Catawba Valley took the opener 9-2. Andrews, starting a shortstop, went 1-for-4 with a two-run single in the first inning. Andrews later scored off a double by Lillie Pennington. CCTI took the second game 14-7. Andrews went 2-for-4 with a two-run double in the 3rd inning. Catawba Valley finished the regular season 23-11, 12- 8 in Region X. Andrews played in all of the Red Hawks’ games and was second on the team with a .461 batting average (10th in Region X). She led the team with 53 hits (4th in Region X) and 41 RBIs (tied for 4th in Region X). Andrews also scored 35 runs (3rd on the team), hit eleven doubles (2nd on the team), and eight home runs (2nd). She goes into the Region X Tournament on a 7-game hitting streak.

Landon Riley: Riley earned his second win of the season for the Liberty baseball team in a 9-8 victory over Bellarmine on Sunday. In one-third of an inning, Riley surrendered three runs off three hits. It was only the second game this year where Riley surrendered a run. The Flames earned the walkoff win in the bottom of the ninth inning when Logan Mathieu hit a two-run homer. The Flames are now 30-11, 14-1 in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Bryse Wilson: Wilson was optioned by the Atlanta Braves to the team’s alternate training site after he started Thursday’s game against the Chicago Cubs. In three innings, Wilson surrendered seven runs off four hits with two walks and one strikeout. The Cubs won 9-3 and Wilson fell to 1-2 on the year.

Natalie Chandler: The #2 UNC women’s soccer team has started play in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels defeated Denver 2-0 in Matthews on Friday. Chandler, who was the captain of the Orange women’s soccer team in her junior and senior seasons, is a senior for the Tar Heels. UNC will face Washington at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary on Wednesday.

Kayla Hodges: For the first time since they joined the Colonial Athletic Association in 2014, the Elon women’s soccer team won the CAA Tournament championship on Saturday. The Phoenix defeated UNC Wilmington 1-0 at Tiger Field on Towson, MD. Hodges earned the start on an Elon defensive back line that held the Seahawks to two shots on goal. In addition, Hodges was named 2nd-team All-Colonial Athletic Association for the season as a midfielder. Elon is 6-3 and will await their selection to the NCAA Women’s College Cup. The selection show will be Monday night. The tournament begins April 27.

Mia Davidson: Mia Davidson reached another milestone for the Mississippi State softball team over the weekend. During Sunday’s game at Missouri, Davidson reached 200 hits for her Bulldog career with a home run to left field. It was Davidson’s 63rd career home run, which leaves her four behind Rafael Palmerio on Mississippi State’s all-time home run list, baseball and softball. Missouri swept the three-game series against Mississippi State. On Sunday, the Tigers held on for a 6-5 win. Davidson went 1-for-2. In a doubleheader on Saturday, Missouri won the opener 5-2 and the nightcap 4-3. Davidson went 0-for-3 in each game. This season, Davidson is hitting .304 in 41 games. She has eleven home runs and 25 RBIs.

Montana Davidson: Montana started both games of Saturday’s doubleheader for Mississippi State at third base. She went 0-for-2 in both games. Mississippi State is 22-19 overall, 0-12 in the Southeastern Conference. The Bulldogs will host Jackson State in a doubleheader on Tuesday.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team swept a three-game series against Chattanooga at Frost Stadium in Tennessee. The Spartans swept a doubleheader on Saturday against the Mocs. In the opening game, Dalehite entered the game as a pinch runner and scored off a groundout by Maycin Brown to help the Spartans win 6-3. In the second game, Dalehite scored another run as a pinch runner. Dalehite touched the plate off a three-run homer from Kayleigh Willis. UNC Greensboro battled back from a 5-0 deficit to win 8-6 in nine innings. The Spartans are 21-14 overall, 6-3 in the Southern Conference.

Jaden Hurdle: Two former Orange High teammates found themselves on opposite sides on Saturday. Hurdle, a first baseman for Patrick Henry Community College, faced Catawba Valley Community College, led by former Lady Panther second baseman Grace Andrews in Martinsville, VA. Patrick Henry swept the doubleheader, capturing the opener 3-2 in eight innings, where Hurdle went 0-for-3. Patrick Henry edged the Red Hawks in the second game 7-6. Hurdle pitched the nightcap, earned the victory and added a two-run home run. She threw a complete game, allowing six runs off six hits. Hurdle struck out three to improve to 3-1.

On Sunday, Patrick Henry split a doubleheader with Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute. Caldwell won the opener 3-2. Hurdle went 1-for-3. The Patriots earned the split with a 10-9 walkoff win in the nightcap. Hurdle hit a two-run homer in the 2nd inning. She finished 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs. Hurdle also started the second game as pitcher and came away with a no decision. Hurdle threw four-and-one-thirds innings and surrendered eleven hits and eight runs with two walks. Patrick Henry won off a walkoff home run from Carley Gravely. In 26 games, Hurdle is hitting .385 with six home runs and 22 RBIs. Patrick Henry is 12-15 overall, 7-5 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Grace Andrews: As for Andrews, she went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer for the Red Hawks in the opening game against Patrick Henry. In the second game, Andrews went 2-for-3 with another home run and a double. She scored twice. On Sunday, Catawba Valley swept a doubleheader against Surry Community College in Dobson. In the opening 3-1 win, Andrews went 1-for-2 with a run scored and two walks. The Red Hawks won the second game 6-5 in ten innings. Andrews went 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Currently, Andrews is fifth in Region X of the NJCAA with a .488 batting average. She is tied for 10th (along with Hurdle and several others) with six home runs. Andrews leads Catawba Valley and is 7th in Region X with 42 hits. Catawba Valley is now 17-9 overall, 8-6 in Region X.

Phillip Berger: Berger earned two wins in a three-game series for Division III William Peace over Methodist. On Saturday at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary, Berger came on in relief and threw the ninth inning. He set down the Monarchs in order with one strikeout. Peace got a walkoff single from Alec Seaton in the bottom of the ninth. Berger improved to 4-2. On Sunday, Berger made his regularly scheduled start and earned another win in the Pacers’ 7-5 win to open a doubleheader. Berger scattered four hits in six innings to improve to 5-2. He surrendered four runs, three earned with four walks and three strikeouts. Berger now leads Peace with five wins. He also has a 3.83 ERA. Peace is 18-13, 10-4 in the USA South Athletic Conference. The Pacers are two games behind North Carolina Wesleyan for first place in the USA South Athletic Conference East Division.

Olivia Ward: The Methodist women’s tennis team ended its season with an 8-1 win over Mary Baldwin on Sunday. Ward played #1 singles and defeated Alexis Seymore 6-0, 6-0. Last Thursday, Methodist defeated North Carolina Wesleyan 5-4 in Rocky Mount. Ward defeated Ana Aguilar 6-2, 6-2 at #6 singles. On April 9, Ward won again as Methodist defeated Averett 7-1. Ward, competing at #6 singles, won over Nakia Lee-Goodall 6-1, 6-1. Ward ended her freshman year at Methodist with a five-match winning streak. She ended the year 5-7 in singles, 1-1 in doubles.

It’s hard to say Cedar Ridge volleyball’s season is over when it barely felt like it started.

Usually, a volleyball season is around 24 matches that starts the first week of the academic year. Good teams will play until the end of October. The best last until early November, when they wind up going for a state championship at Reynolds Coliseum or Crown Coliseum.

In the aftershock of the train wreck that was 2020, everything still feels irregular. Cedar Ridge’s regular season was supposed to be 14 games, but is over after just ten.

Along the way, the Red Wolves defeated the defending 3A State Champions, won the Big 8 Conference championship and captured its first state playoff win since 2015 behind a fleet of sophomores who make the Red Wolves’ future blindingly blight.

Unfortunately, Cedar Ridge’s fleet ran into a barrage of cannons from D.H. Conley on Thursday night.

Conley, the champions of the 4A/3A Eastern Carolina Conference, defeated Cedar Ridge 3-1 on Thursday night at Viking Gymnasium on scores of 23-25, 25-15, 25-21 and 25-18.

Conley (13-1) will host Chapel Hill on Saturday.

For the first time in Cedar Ridge’s brief season, they ran into an opponent that could not only match its finishing firepower, but overwhelm it. The Vkings’ front court of 6’0 freshman Ashlyn Philpot, 5’10 junior Maddy May and 5’11 junior Ella Philpot supplied plenty of killing power, which only grew more formidable when sophomore outside hitter Kylah Silver came off the bench.

“They have size, but we were prepared for it,” said Cedar Ridge Coach Fiona Cunningham. “They played phenomenal. They had great offense, but when it came down to blocking we got touches. We slowed down the ball exactly how we wanted to.”

After a two-and-a-half hour bus trip to Greenville, the Red Wolves didn’t lack for confidence early. They rolled out to a 6-1 lead behind two kills from sophomore Cameron Lloyd, along with finishes from Layne Foster and Justice Wilborune.

The Vikings evened the opening set after a series of powerful spikes from Silver and an ace from senior Sarah Dees. With the set tied at 23, Lloyd gave Cedar Ridge the lead when she tipped the ball over the hands of May, who sent the volley off the antenna. Senior Layne Foster, in her final match, earned the kill on set point off an assist from Julie Altieri.

“We slowed down the ball exactly how we wanted to in the first set,” Cunningham said. “We stuck to the game plan. Conley responded. They adjusted to what our game plan was and we just didn’t match that adjustment quite as quickly.”

With the second set even 8-8, the Vikings started to impose its dominance. They went on a 9-1 run behind finishes from Dees and Ashely Thomas. Philpot, the freshman, blocked set point to even the match.

Though Conley never trailed in the fourth set, the frame was tight throughout. Lloyd had six kills in the 4th, all assisted by Altieri. Lloyd also had an ace to tie the set at 18 when Conley immediately reeled off four straight points, starting with a spike by Silver off an assist by Olivia Lefever. An errant serve by Cedar Ridge gave the Vikings the third set 25-21.

Conley took control of the final frame with a 13-0 run to go ahead 19-8. Cedar Ridge fought back to narrow the gap to 20-13 behind kills from Lloyd and Wilbourne, but Ashlyn Philpot spiked home match point to send the Vikings on to the state quarterfinals.

In her final match at Cedar Ridge, senior libero Marlee Rakouskas had 29 digs.

As Cedar Ridge prepares for what will hopefully be a more traditional season starting in August, they can take solace over the fact the team won the first Big 8 Conference championship at the school since the softball team in May 2019.

If Cedar Ridge’s victory over Union Pines was any more decisive, it would have been labeled a College Football Playoff national championship game.

In its first home playoff game since 2015, the Red Wolves volleyball team cruised past the Vikings on scores of 25-13, 25-17, and 25-13 in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs on Tuesday night at Red Wolves Gymnasium.

Cedar Ridge will travel to face D.H. Conley, the champions of the 4A/3A Eastern Carolina Conference, on Thursday night for the second round. Conley defeated Terry Sanford 3-0 on Tuesday.

Union Pines (9-3, 9-1), champions of the Tri-County Conference who opened with eight consecutive wins, was swept for only the second time this year.

Like a modern day Jordan and Pippen, Cedar Ridge’s deadly combination of sophomores Cameron Lloyd and Julie Altieri proved to be too much. Lloyd finished with 16 kills, all of them set up by Altieri, who ended the night with 29 assists, seven digs and four aces. Lloyd also had eleven digs.

Cedar Ridge improved to 9-0 in its first game against a non conference opponent this year.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a start-and-stop pattern to the season that has made establishing a rhythm almost impossible.

Last week, Cedar Ridge defeated Orange to win the Big 8 Conference Championship. It was the Red Wolves first match in 25 days. Cedar Ridge was forced into quarantine after a player from Northwood tested positive for coronavirus shortly after the Red Wolves traveled to Pittsboro on December 10.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a start-and-stop pattern to the season that has made establishing a rhythm impossible for first-year coach Fiona Cunningham. While Cedar Ridge has nine wins, they’ve really played only eight because Southern Durham forfeited a match last month.

“We’re looking at ten weeks into a season and have only played nine games,” said first-year Cedar Ridge coach Fiona Cunningham. “Momentum isn’t really a factor this year because nobody really has it. We have natural forces limiting every team’s momentum. So we’ve talked to the girls about practices needing to be like games.”

Despite playing in front of empty bleachers, the Red Wolves were exuberant from the beginning as they bounced out to a 6-1 lead, including Lloyd laying down two aces and a kill. Union Pines narrowed the deficit to 7-6 before the Red Wolves went on a 8-3 run, featuring two more kills from Lloyd set up by Altieri and an ace from senior Grace Young. The Red Wolves closed the set with three straight points, two of which were kills by Lloyd from Altieri.

Union Pines opened the second set with a point from a Cedar Ridge error. It was the only Vikings lead in the entire match. The Red Wolves reeled off six consecutive points to push its advantage to 12-5, which included kills by sophomore Cameron Lanier and senior Layne Foster. Lanier ended the night with seven kills, while Foster had three kills and two blocks. The Red Wolves closed the frame with four straight points, ending with a Lanier block to send the Cedar Ridge bench into a frenzy.

The Red Wolves jumped out to a 12-5 lead in the third set and were never seriously challenged. At one point, Altieri set up Lloyd for kills on three consecutive points, leading to a Union Pines time out. Justice Wilbourne stuffed a Union Pines kill attempt on match point to end the match after barely an hour.

The last time Cedar Ridge hosted a playoff game, it was the 2015 3A Eastern Regional Final when Asheboro ended the Red Wolves dream of a state championship. As young as the core of Cedar Ridge is, they have lofty plans going into Thursday’s trip to Greenville.

“There was a different kind of pressure tonight, which was a good thing,” Cunningham said. “It was kind of similar to the pressure I remember as a player that no matter who is on the other side of the net, no matter what round it is, you know it’s important. The playoffs this year are particularly competitive since its only 16 teams in the east. We’ll be ready on Thursday.”

For the first time since 2015, the Cedar Ridge volleyball team has won a state playoff game. The Red Wolves defeated Union Pines 25-13, 25-17 and 25-13 to advance to the round of 16 in the 3A State Playoffs on Tuesday night at Red Wolves Gymnasium. Sophomore Cameron Lloyd led Cedar Ridge with 16 kills. She also compiled four aces and eleven digs. Through nine games, Lloyd leads the team with 88 kills. She is second on the squad with 76 digs. Over the past four years, Lloyd has built a bond with her classmate Julie Altieri, which started on their summer travel team. Altieri had 29 assists against Union Pines. Cedar Ridge will face D.H. Conley in Greenville on Thursday night with a trip to the state quarterfinals on the line.

The Cedar Ridge volleyball team easily defeated Union Pines in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs at Red Wolves Gymnasium on Tuesday night. Sophomore Cameron Lanier finished with seven kills, two aces, five blocks and two digs. Cedar Ridge improved to 9-0 after winning its first nonconference game of the season. In an abbreviated season, Lanier has compiled an impressive stat line of 60 kills, a team-high 19 blocks and ten aces. Lanier is one of three sophomore starters, along with Cameron Lloyd and Julie Altieri, who have helped Cedar Ridge win the Big 8 Championship for the first time since 2015. On Thursday night, Cedar Ridge will travel to Greenville to face D.H. Conley in the round of 16 in the 3A State Playoffs.

For the first time since 2015, the Cedar Ridge volleyball team will host a playoff game. On Tuesday night, the Red Wolves will face Union Pines in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs. Senior Shili Quade has been a part of three Big 8 Conference championship teams at Cedar Ridge. In addition to the volleyball team, she was a member of two softball championships in 2018 and 2019. In addition, Shili is the Cedar Ridge Yearbook editor, and a member of the Cedar Ridge Map Club and Photography Club. This season, Quade was a regular player for a Cedar Ridge team that won the Big 8 Championship with an 8-0 record. Cedar Ridge will host Union Pines at 6 o’clock on Tuesday night.