Cedar Ridge Volleyball

Volleyball: Cedar Ridge 3, Eastern Alamance 0: Following its win over Orange last week, Cedar Ridge remains in first place in the Central Conference after sweeping the Eagles at Red Wolves Gymnasium last Thursday. Junior Claire Hargett led the Red Wolves with 17 kills and six digs.

Before the match, Hargett was one of three players honored for mid-century milestones. Hargett was awarded for her 500th kill and 500th dig. Hargett joined Cameron Lloyd (now at Bucknell) and Cameron Lanier (now at Elon) in the career 500 kill club. Libero Sydnee Tapper was honored for her 500th dig, which she eclipsed after registering a career-high 41 digs in a five-set marathon against Carrboro on September 4th. Mia Marty was awarded for her 500th career assist.

Marty finished with six kills, eight digs, 22 assists and two aces. Junior middle blocker Kayla Stoll came away with seven kills.

Cedar Ridge jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the opening set, which led to an Eagles timeout following a kill by Marty off an assist from Emory Williams. Charlotte Lowry scored a block on set point to send the Red Wolves on its way.

Orange 3, Southern Alamance 0: Following its win over Person last Thursday, the Lady Panthers had five days between games. After a rocky start, the Lady Panthers looked refreshed and better defensively in a sweep of Southern Alamance on Tuesday night in Hillsborough.

The Lady Panthers improved to 6-5, 4-1 in the Central Conference. Junior Ava Wilkerson finished with eleven kills, while sophomore Sawyer White came away with eleven kills, 12 digs, four assists and three aces.

The Patriots got off to a 10-4 lead in the opening set, where Orange didn’t have a lead until Wilkerson swatted down a set from Katie Silcott, who registered 25 assists and eight digs, to make it 25-24. Southern’s Roslyn Taylor slammed home a kill off an assist from Ava Duggins to send the opening set to overtime. Wilkerson’s fourth kill of the set put Orange ahead 26-25. On set point, the Patriots sent a return into the net and the Lady Panthers prevailed.

Orange rolled in the final two sets, winning 25-18 and 25-13. In the second set, the Lady Panthers led 16-12 when libero Abby Silinski had three digs on one lengthy rally that ended with Mariah Poole scoring off a feed from Silcott. Wilkinson slammed down a lofted return by the Patriots to give the Lady Panthers a 19-12 advantage. Wilkerson scored set point.

Poole had an ace on match point in the third. Orange will travel to Seaforth in Pittsboro on Thursday night.

Orange 3, Person 0: Last Thursday, Orange journeyed to Roxboro and came away with its fifth straight win over the Rockets. Aubrey Jordan finished with nine kills while Wilkerson had ten kills and two blocks.
Every set was competitive, though Orange didn’t trail in the opening game after getting off to a 10-3 start that included kills from While and Wilkerson. Katie Silcott registered 32 assists, 12 digs and two kills. Poole, who had nine kills, scored unassisted as Orange took the opening set 25-18.

Person led most of the second set, holding a 15-11 advantage before the Lady Panthers reeled off four straight points keyed by the serve of Silcott, who had an ace. Wilkerson spiked down consecutive kills to even the set 15-15. Orange reeled off six straight points to take control of the set. Wilkerson and Silcott had consecutive blocks. A return by Person that went long propelled Orange to a 23-18 lead. Jordan sent an attack across the floor that landed inside the right sideline on set point, again assisted by Silcott.

In the third set, Person led 17-14 before Orange had another late rally. Silcott delivered another ace to cap four straight Orange points to put them ahead 18-17. Person even the set at 21-21, but Orange ended the match with the final four points, starting with a kill by Poole. White delivered an ace, followed by another spike by Poole. Person sent an attack into the net on match point.

Three matches over the course of three days for Cedar Ridge volleyball put them atop the Central Conference. Last week, the Red Wolves rolled past Eastern Alamance in a sweep at Red Wolves Gymnasium. Before the match, junior Claire Hargett was honored for her 500th kill and her 500th career dig. She joins Cameron Lloyd and Cameron Lanier in Cedar Ridge’s 500 kill club. Also, Red Wolves junior liberal Sydnee Tapper was honored for her 500th career digs, which happened against Carrboro in a thrilling five-set match last Wednesday. Against the Eagles, Stoll finished with seven kills. Tapper added 14 digs and two aces to her career total. Hargett had a season-high 20 kills as Cedar Ridge remained undefeated in conference play. Last Tuesday, Cedar Ridge defeated crosstown rival Orange in three sets at Panther Gymnasium. That put the Red Wolves back atop the Central Conference. On Tuesday night (tonight), Cedar Ridge will venture to Elon to face Western Alamance. The Warriors will look to tie Cedar Ridge and Orange for first place with a win. Cedar Ridge is 4-0 in the Central Conference while Western Alamance is 2-1. Last year, the Warriors defeated the Red Wolves 3-1 in Elon, Cedar Ridge’s first loss to an Alamance County team since the Central Conference was formed in 2021.

Cedar Ridge volleyball’s Sydnee Tapper & Kayla Stoll discuss win over Eastern Alamance

Three matches over the course of three days for Cedar Ridge volleyball put them atop the Central Conference. Last week, the Red Wolves rolled past Eastern Alamance in a sweep at Red Wolves Gymnasium. Before the match, junior Claire Hargett was honored for her 500th kill and her 500th career dig.

The Cedar Ridge volleyball team is back on top in the Central Conference after beating crosstown rival Orange in a sweep at Panther Gymnasium on Tuesday night. Junior outside hitter Claire Hargett finished with 14 kills and 12 digs as the Red Wolves defeated the Lady Panthers, the defending 3A Eastern Regional champions, by scores of 25-23, 25-23 and 25-23. Junior Mia Marty, who alternates between setter and outside hitter, finished with 14 assists, eleven digs, three kills and one ace. Cedar Ridge maintained first place in the Central Conference with a 3-0 league record, 5-1 overall. It was Cedar Ridge’s second straight win over Orange inside Panther Gymnasium. Last year, Cedar Ridge defeated Orange in the Central Conference Tournament championship game. Cedar Ridge has beaten Orange in nine of their last eleven meetings. The Red Wolves got an unlikely contribution from senior Leah Pritchard in the fourth set. Pritchard, who had not played at any point in the game, came in cold off the bench and delivered four straight aces to close out a surprising sweep. Cedar Ridge is hunting its fourth regular season championship in the last five years. The Red Wolves will return home to face Eastern Alamance on Thursday night at 6:30 at Red Wolves Gymnasium.

Cedar Ridge’s Claire Hargett & Mia Marty discuss victory over Orange

The Cedar Ridge volleyball team is back on top in the Central Conference after beating crosstown rival Orange in a sweep at Panther Gymnasium on Tuesday night. Junior outside hitter Claire Hargett finished with 14 kills and 12 digs as the Red Wolves defeated the Lady Panthers, the defending 3A Eastern Regional champions, by scores of 25-23, 25-23 and 25-23.

Julie Altieri: The former Cedar Ridge setter finished on the All-Tournament team at the Margie Knight Classic at the Maggs Physical Activities Center in Salisbury, MD last weekend. Salisbury won all three of its matches, starting with a sweep of Catholic on Friday (25-4, 25-9, 25-15). Altieri, the starting setter for the Gulls, had 22 assists, eleven digs, two aces, and five kills. On Saturday, Salisbury defeated Swarthmore 3-2 (25-21, 23-25, 25-11, 20-25, 15-12). Altieri had 49 assists, 13 digs, five kills and two aces. The Gulls completed the event with a sweep of Mount Aloysius (25-8, 25-17, 25-18). Altieri finished with 23 assists, six kills, four digs and three aces.

Cameron Lloyd: Bucknell opened the season going 2-1 in the Bearcat Classic at West Gymnasium in Binghamton, NY last weekend. Toledo defeated the Bison 3-1 in the season opener on scores of 25-20, 21-25, 25-15, 25-23. Lloyd is battling an arm injury that limited her striking as an outside hitter, though she played all four sets and finished with an ace and 12 digs. Bucknell swept Merrimack for its first win (25-12, 25-18, 25-18). Lloyd has an ace with three digs and played on all three sets.  The Bison swept Binghamton (25-21, 25-16, 25-14). Lloyd had eight digs. Off the court, Lloyd made the Patriot League Honor Roll for her freshman year.

Lottie Scully: Binghamton started its season in the Bearcat Classic with a win over Merrimack 3-0 (25-16, 25-14, 25-23). Scully, a junior who is Binghamton’s starting setter, finished with 28 assists, eight digs and two kills. Binghamton was swept in their other two matches in the event. Toledo defeated Binghamton (25-18, 25-12, 25-22). Scully, who played at Orange, finished with 22 assists, seven digs, one kill and one ace. Scully faced Lloyd, a former Cedar Ridge Red Wolf, in the loss to Bucknell. Scully finished with 14 assists, seven digs and one kill.

Allie Wilkerson: The Division III Averett University Cougars went 1-3 in the Cougar Classic at the Stuart James Grant Center in Danville, VA last weekend. Wilkerson opened her sophomore year with a 3-2 loss to Meredith College (23-25, 16-25, 25-21, 26-24, 15-8). Wilkerson had seven kills, six digs and two aces. Later on Friday, Salem College defeated Averett 3-1 (25-22, 25-17, 19-25, 25-21). Wilkerson had six kills, three digs, an assist and an ace. Averett grabbed its first win with a 3-2 victory over Bob Jones University (24-26, 25-12, 23-25, 25-22, 15-7). Wilkerson had 13 kills, two digs and one ace. Methodist University knocked off Averett 3-1 (21-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-20). Wilkerson, the older sister of Orange middle blocker Ava Wilkerson, had four kills, three digs and two aces.

Melissa Benkowitz: The Division III Franklin & Marshall Diplomats opened its season with a win over Elizabethtown at the Mayser Center in Lancaster, PA on Friday night (25-17, 25-23, 25-21). Benkowitz finished with eight digs, three aces, and two kills. On Saturday, Franklin & Marshall split two matches in the Battlefield Classic in Gettysburg, PA. Eastern University defeated the Diplomats 3-2 (25-21, 22-25, 25-16, 12-25, 15-10) Benkowitz finished with five digs and one ace. F&M swept Messiah (25-19, 27-25, 25-21). Benkowitz finished with four kills, nine digs, one assist and one ace.

Grace Young: Last weekend, Young made her debut for Division III Greensboro College after transferring from UNC Asheville last spring. The Pride went 2-1 in the Emory Invitational at Woodruff Arena in Atlanta. Emory swept Greensboro 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-12) Young finished with two digs and an ace, playing all three sets. Greensboro rebounded to beat Piedmont University 3-1 (25-9, 25-20, 16-25, 25-20). Young had six aces and six digs. The Pride defeated Huntingdon College 3-1 (25-18, 18-25, 25-22, 25-22) Young had 13 digs and two aces. Greensboro will compete in the Maroon Classic in Salem, VA starting Friday with a doubleheader against Ferrum College and Hollins University.

The following players from Division II schools will start their season this weekend.

Anaya Carter: UNC Pembroke will start its season in the Bahama House Classic in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Braves will start against Embry-Riddle on Friday afternoon. Last season, Carter played in 15 matches for a UNC Pembroke team that finished 21-14.

Ella Wimsatt: The leader of Orange’s 3A Eastern Regional championship team, Wimsatt will start play for Lenoir-Rhyne in the Fairmont State Volleyball Classic in Fairmont, WV on Friday. The Bears will open with Bloomsburg, followed by a match with Fairmont State. Wimsatt was the 2023 Central Conference Player of the Year as Orange reached the 3A State Championship match.

Cedar Ridge and Orange have met in volleyball eleven times since 2021.

There have been regional and state champions to emerge from those meetings. No less than six current Division I college players played in those games. With that much star power, regardless of who won, there was never really an unlikely hero in any of those matches.

That’s why Tuesday night at Orange High was different.

Senior Leah Pritchard, who had not played in the previous two sets, was inserted in the midst of a third set that appeared to be Orange’s to lose. The Lady Panthers, trailing two-sets-to-none, had led 15-6 at one point and still led 23-19 after junior Ava Wilkerson notched her fifth block of the set.

Cedar Ridge got a side out following an Orange attacking error. Cedar Ridge coach Latacha De Oliveria put in Pritchard for Mia Marty for serving purposes. The first point ended with the last of Claire Hargett’s 15 kills.

Then Pritchard served up one knuckleball after another that handcuffed Orange almost effortlessly. All told, Pritchard delivered four straight aces, the final one on match point that flailed off the hands of an Orange outside hitter into the front row of bleachers While it was the first match in September, it wasn’t too early for Cedar Ridge to have a dogpile and celebrate on Orange’s home floor for the second straight trip to Panther gymnasium.

Cedar Ridge took over first place in the Central Conference with a surprising sweep of Orange, winning all three sets by the score of 25-23. In addition to her 15 kills, Hargett finished with 13 digs. Cedar Ridge is 5-1 overall, 3-0 in the Central Conference.

Wilkerson had 12 kills and six blocks, but the Panthers fell to 4-5 overall. Orange already has as many losses as they did in all of 2023, when they won the 3A Eastern Regional championship.

“We just needed to give her a chance to serve,” said Cedar Ridge volleyball coach Latacha De Oliveira about Pritchard. “She came in fresh and had a great serve. She’s serving very aggressively in practice. I was trying to make a game changer. She knew what she needed to do, she knew where she needed to be. That’s her strength. She did a great job. It was exactly what we needed.”

Last year, the Red Wolves upset Orange in the Central Conference Tournament championship game, the only league team to beat the Lady Panthers all year. They were also the last team from the Eastern Region to beat Orange in 2023.

“We’ve been focusing in practice on how to prepare for the game,” De Oliveira said. “We studied how to keep them out of tempo. We came in relaxed. We came in ready to fight with everything we had.”

When practice started last month, it appeared on paper that Orange was at an advantage over everyone else locally. They returned four starters from a team that was three points away from winning the 3A State Championship. Hargett is the Red Wolves only returning starter, but De Oliveria believes it’s a group that’s grown together in a short time.

“A lot of them worked hard over the summer,” De Oliveira said. “They came in with the same goal. They put some values together and they really just focused on them. They’ve leaned on each other and have a lot of trust in each other. I think that’s going to make all the difference.”

In each of the three sets, the score was tied at 23-23. Every time, Cedar Ridge found the answers, winning the next two points in each frame.

Wilkerson used her 6-foot-2 frame to score three of Orange’s first four points, but a block from Cedar Ridge middle blocker Charlotte Lowry evened the opening set at 6-6. Red Wolf libero Sydnee Tapper laid down the first of Cedar Ridge’s 13 aces in the match to put the visiting team ahead 12-8. Ellamarie Perel had a kill, followed by another Tapper ace to give the Red Wolves a 21-17 lead. Orange setter Katie Silcott delivered consecutive aces to whittle Orange’s deficit to 22-21. Wilkerson scored consecutive kills to even the first set at 23-23, but the subsequent serve by Orange’s Mariah Poole went long. Orange was called for touching the net while the ball was in the air on the first set point.

“I think the girls played hard,” said Orange coach Hope Heverly. “There are a lot of emotions that go into a crosstown rivalry. I think being in a high emotion game got to us.”

Cedar Ridge continued the momentum in the second set, winning the first five points. Orange ran off four straight points to briefly take an 11-10 lead after kills from Aubrey Jordan and a block from Aubrey Hodges. Cedar Ridge responded with a 6-1 spurt, including an ace from Hargett, to retake the lead 16-12. Jordan found her swing late in the set, laying down three straight kills, followed by an ace from Sawyer to even it up at 23-23. A return by White went long, and Jordan’s attack on set point went wide, putting Cedar Ridge ahead 2-0.

Orange played poised for most of the third set. Wilkerson had four kills and five blocks in the third. A kill by Jordan assisted by Silcott gave Orange at 15-6 lead, but the Red Wolves sawed away at the advantage. Mia Marty, who finished with 11 digs, 14 assists and three kills, fooled Orange with a quick attack, starting a 6-1 Red Wolf run. Emory Williams got her third ace of the set to trip Orange’s lead to 22-19, but Wilkerson turned back an attack from Hargett, which appeared to be all Orange needed to force a fourth set.

Instead, it was their last point.

“I think we’re really young and we’re still growing,” Heverly said. “Some I’m excited to see how they’ll bounce back from this. I feel like their still pretty confident. We’ve been playing some hard teams so they’ll keep growing from here.”

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is junior volleyball outside hitter Claire Hargett. Last week, Hargett helped Cedar Ridge to victories over Person and Southern Alamance in its opening Central Conference games. Hargett had 12 kills and 20 digs against Person. Against Southern Alamance, Hargett finished with 20 kills and 17 digs as the Red Wolves got off to a 4-1 start. Hargett was a starter on last year’s Cedar Ridge team that won the Central Conference Tournament. In the championship match against Orange, Hargett had a team-high 24 kills as the Red Wolves defeated the Lady Panthers in four sets. Hargett has been a member of the varsity team at Cedar Ridge for three years and was a regular rotation player during her freshman year, when Cedar Ridge won the Central Conference regular season and tournament championship. Last season, Hargett had 19 kills in the opening round of the state playoffs, when Cedar Ridge swept Scotland County. In the second round, Hargett finished with 19 kills and 13 digs as the Red Wolves won a thrilling five set match at Franklington, propelling the Red Wolves to the round of 16 in the state playoffs for the third straight year. Hargett is also a member of the International Baccalaureate Club at Cedar Ridge. The Red Wolves will travel to Orange tonight (Tuesday).

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Claire Hargett

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is junior volleyball outside hitter Claire Hargett. Last week, Hargett helped Cedar Ridge to victories over Person and Southern Alamance in its opening Central Conference games. Hargett had 12 kills and 20 digs against Person.

Cedar Ridge 3, North Carolina School of Science & Math 0: Just 24 hours removed from its first five set match in years, Cedar Ridge bounced back with its first road win of the season in Durham on Thursday night.

Claire Hargett finished with eleven kills and 16 digs while junior Kayla Stoll added seven kills and four blocks as the Red Wolves (2-1) defeated the North Carolina School of Science and Math inside Unicorns Gymnasium. Cedar Ridge’s serving provided eight aces as the Red Wolves won its final game before its Central Conference opener at Person on Tuesday.

Tied 4-4 in the opening set, Cedar Ridge went on a 9-2 run to take a lead it would not relinquish. Hargett started the spurt with a mighty swing for her first kill, followed by a block of the Unicorns’ Megan Cherry. NCSSM’s Cornelia Okonkwo scored from the middle of the floor to cut the Cedar Ridge lead to 9-6, but Hargett and Mia Marty scored off attacks, followed by an ace from Marty. Stoll’s ended the set with her second block of the frame as Cedar Ridge won 25-14.

In the second set, NCSSM led 12-10 after the Red Wolves were called for a double hit. Cedar Ridge erased its deficit with a 5-1 run, starting when the Unicorns were called for a lift. Stoll delivered an ace to give the Red Wolves a 13-12 lead. With the score even at 15-15, Marty scored off a feed from Ellie Miller, starting a 6-2 Red Wolf run. Stoll added her third block while Ellamarie Perel notched her second kill of the set. Marty delivered an ace on set point.

Stoll had two kills as Cedar Ridge jumped out to a 6-1 lead to begin the third set. Junior Emory Williams delivered an ace while Hargett had consecutive kills off assists from Marty. The Unicorns would get as close as 15-12, but Cedar Ridge scored the final ten points of the match. Stoll slammed down match point as the Red Wolves won 25-12.

East Chapel Hill 3, Cedar Ridge 2: The first five set match for Cedar Ridge since 2019 saw the East Chapel Hill Wildcats close out the fourth set on a 11-1 run to even the match, then dominate the fifth set for its first road win of the year.

Hargett finished with 14 kills and ten digs as the Red Wolves suffered its first loss of the season. Perel had nine kills.

East Chapel Hill fought off two set points in the opening frame to win it in overtime. Hargett delivered a spike to put the Red Wolves ahead 24-22. East’s Lucy Murphy and Margaret Jewell had consecutive kills to tie the match. Stoll scored to five Cedar Ridge a 25-24 lead, but a return by the Red Wolves went into the net. Jewell delivered an ace to give the Wildcats the set 28-26.

Cedar Ridge won the second set despite falling behind 4-0 early and trailing as much as 8-2. Five different Red Wolves notched kills, including three each from Hargett and Perel. Williams, who changed to libero in the second set, served an ace to start a 7-0 Red Wolf spree, capped by a kill from Stoll to put Cedar Ridge ahed 24-21. A serve by the Wildcats’ Ruth Ann Soccerorso went long, leveling the match at 1-1.

Cedar Ridge won the third set 25-23, a frame that had eight ties and three lead changes. Cedar Ridge took control with the score at 15-15 when Calla Lundberg tipped one over off a feed from Marty, followed by an ace from Stoll. Charlotte Lowry added a kill to put the Red Wolves ahead 18-15. The set was even at 23-23 when the Red Wolves won a long rally that included Perel making three digs. The point ended with Stoll scoring off a block. Stoll scored off an unassisted kill to give Cedar Ridge the set 25-23.

The fourth set was even 15-15 when the Wildcats went on a 10-1 run, led by consecutive aces from Murphy. Giselle Barrett and Austin Harris has back-to-back kills to start momentum that Cedar Ridge couldn’t stop again.

East continued rolling in the fifth set, scoring the first six points. An ace from Soccorso led to Cedar Ridge head coach Latacha De Oliveira calling timeout. That did little to help as East built an 11-3 lead behind an attack from Murphy from Avery Ellis. Austin Harris scored match point as East captured the set 15-7.

The last time Cedar Ridge played a five-set match, it was against Orange on October 8, 2019 inside Red Wolves Gymnasium.