HPCA volleyball advances to semis
By GREER SMITH SPECIAL TO THE ENTERPRISE
HIGH POINT — Shrugging off a slow start, High Point Christian’s volleyball team couldn’t be stopped.
The host Cougars staged a huge rally to win the first set, never trailed at any point the rest of the way and swept Hickory Grove Christian of Charlotte 25-20, 25-22 and 25-19 on Friday at HPCA in the quarterfinals of the NCISAA 3A playoffs.
HPCA, the No. 2 seed in the West region, improved to 9-1 and will play Cary Christian (11-1), the top seed from the East, in the semifinals Tuesday.
Kennedy Powell slapped 14 kills and came up eight digs for the Cougars. Caroline Smith dished 24 assists. Emeline Martin hit 11 kills. Rosie Lagendorfer served four aces and scooped seven digs.
“I was happy with the energy we brought,” HPCA coach Bridget Knower said. “We started a little bit slow. The girls really picked up the middle of the first set and carried the energy through.”
As a result of the slow start, the Cougars were down 19-16 before going on a tear. Sparked by the play of outside hitter Powell on Emeline Martin’s serve, they won nine of the next 10 points to take the opening set.
“Emeline had a huge serving run,” Knower said. “Our offense and defense played well with that serve and I think that her serving run changed the momentum of that first set.”
Two failed returns by the Lions helped start a run of seven straight points by the Cougars. Powell’s tip knotted the score and her block put HPCA ahead, 20-19. That was followed by Kaitlyn Vickers’ deep return, Martin’s ace and Powell’s kill.
The Lions broke the run on a tip over net. But their ensuing serve sailed long. Smith closed out the set with an ace.
“We had some nerves at the start,” Powell said. “ We didn’t have the energy we had at our last game. We had to build that and get ready to win. We started hitting harder and stronger. We were aggressive on defense and we served more aggressively. We were playing smarter.”
Outside of two ties, HPCA held the lead in the second and third sets.
In the second, the Cougars led by as many as eight twice (the last time at 23-15) and enjoyed a 24-17 margin before Hickory Grove reeled off five straight points, the last two on service aces, to pull within 24-22. The next serve sailed long, giving HPCA the point.
In the third, an early 6-1 HPCA lead melted into a 12-12 tie. The Cougars then maintained a slim margin until ending the match on a 7-0 run, the last six points on Langendorfer’s serve.
Langendorfer slammed two aces to bring the Cougars to match point, which was secured when Cameron Martin launched a high bump return that landed deep in the Lions’ half.
“We were scrappy tonight,” Knower said. “The fight the girls played with is what we need going forward in the state playoffs.”
By GREER SMITH SPECIAL TO THE ENTERPRISE
HIGH POINT — Shrugging off a slow start, High Point Christian’s volleyball team couldn’t be stopped.
The host Cougars staged a huge rally to win the first set, never trailed at any point the rest of the way and swept Hickory Grove Christian of Charlotte 25-20, 25-22 and 25-19 on Friday at HPCA in the quarterfinals of the NCISAA 3A playoffs.
HPCA, the No. 2 seed in the West region, improved to 9-1 and will play Cary Christian (11-1), the top seed from the East, in the semifinals Tuesday.
Kennedy Powell slapped 14 kills and came up eight digs for the Cougars. Caroline Smith dished 24 assists. Emeline Martin hit 11 kills. Rosie Lagendorfer served four aces and scooped seven digs.
“I was happy with the energy we brought,” HPCA coach Bridget Knower said. “We started a little bit slow. The girls really picked up the middle of the first set and carried the energy through.”
As a result of the slow start, the Cougars were down 19-16 before going on a tear. Sparked by the play of outside hitter Powell on Emeline Martin’s serve, they won nine of the next 10 points to take the opening set.
“Emeline had a huge serving run,” Knower said. “Our offense and defense played well with that serve and I think that her serving run changed the momentum of that first set.”
Two failed returns by the Lions helped start a run of seven straight points by the Cougars. Powell’s tip knotted the score and her block put HPCA ahead, 20-19. That was followed by Kaitlyn Vickers’ deep return, Martin’s ace and Powell’s kill.
The Lions broke the run on a tip over net. But their ensuing serve sailed long. Smith closed out the set with an ace.
“We had some nerves at the start,” Powell said. “ We didn’t have the energy we had at our last game. We had to build that and get ready to win. We started hitting harder and stronger. We were aggressive on defense and we served more aggressively. We were playing smarter.”
Outside of two ties, HPCA held the lead in the second and third sets.
In the second, the Cougars led by as many as eight twice (the last time at 23-15) and enjoyed a 24-17 margin before Hickory Grove reeled off five straight points, the last two on service aces, to pull within 24-22. The next serve sailed long, giving HPCA the point.
In the third, an early 6-1 HPCA lead melted into a 12-12 tie. The Cougars then maintained a slim margin until ending the match on a 7-0 run, the last six points on Langendorfer’s serve.
Langendorfer slammed two aces to bring the Cougars to match point, which was secured when Cameron Martin launched a high bump return that landed deep in the Lions’ half.
“We were scrappy tonight,” Knower said. “The fight the girls played with is what we need going forward in the state playoffs.”
