By Jimmy Lewis
jlewis@wilsontimes.com | 265-7807 | Twitter: @JimmyLewisWT
Mired in the throes of a challenging season, the Community Christian School varsity volleyball team turned its rescheduled Senior Night into a success for Morgan Garner.
Facing Wilson Preparatory Academy on the Peace Church court, the Lady Cyclones concluded their regular season by outperforming the Lady Tigers from the service line and particularly, in serve-receive.
The contrast between the teams in the latter category was striking as CCS walked away with a 25-11, 25-7, 25-16 victory. Originally, the Lady Cyclones (4-10) were to face Greenville Pope John Paul II at home Thursday, but a cancellation from the Saints left CCS to play its home finale Tuesday. CCS will begin play in the 1-A/2-A Coastal Independents Conference tournament next week. Wilson Prep, coached by former CCS girls basketball and softball coach Ronnie Wells, fell to 2-7.
“We played a lot more consistent tonight,” CCS head coach Kelly Bradshaw said. “We were alert, on our toes, which we haven’t been consistent doing that all year. So it’s been kind of a roller coaster, but they came to play tonight.”
In all three sets, CCS created separation from the service line. The Lady Cyclones were credited with 39 aces, 11 coming from junior Lauren Pate, who also added six kills. When CCS wasn’t taking advantage of poor serve-receive from the Lady Tigers in the opening set, Pate feasted on the front row with easy kills.
“That’s been our problem the whole year,” Wells said of serve-receive. “We got started late with practices, and they named me coach late because of this and that. They’ve come a long way. To start the game, we were a little bit shell-shocked. You saw it. But we won’t move, we won’t move our feet and we’ve got our legs locked.”
Garner’s Senior Night festivities started off on the wrong foot after she sent the first serve into the net. But Pate quickly leveled matters with a kill, and lengthy service runs from eighth grader Abigail Jackson, Pate and junior Kayla Farmer gave CCS a 17-4 lead. Farmer ran the CCS offense to the tune of 12 assists.
Garner redeemed herself at the end of the set, serving it out with an ace to put the Lady Cyclones up 1-0.
“It was bittersweet,” Garner said of her final home match. “Me and the whole entire team are like a family, so it’s really tough being our last (home) game. Especially with Kelsie (Strange). She’s like my best friend, and we were crying over here in the corner after the match. So, it’s pretty tough.”
Twelve points were gifted to Wilson Prep via service errors. The Lady Tigers showed tenacity when engaged in rallies, and had their best serve-receive performance in the third set. But in the second set, sophomore Makayla Webb and junior Logan Woodard thrived from the back line as CCS amassed leads of 17-3 and 23-7. Wilson Prep, which traveled all of four-tenths of a mile for a road game, lost a point being out of service order in the second set. Tyana Watkins, a senior, added a pair of aces for Wilson Prep.
“They really served well tonight, better than they have consistently all year,” Bradshaw said of the Lady Cyclones. “So tonight was much, much better.”
Wilson Prep fell down 7-0 and 20-9 in the third set, but used a 5-0 run to close within seven late. Senior Jadore Lucas-Barnes’ ace pulled the Lady Tigers within seven and forced a CCS timeout, but Wilson Prep could get no closer. Pate ended the match with her tip.
“One thing I’ve always done as a coach is preach you’ve got to move with the ball in every sport you play,” Wells said. “We won’t do it. A couple of the girls, they just don’t care, and I’ve got to live with that without getting too frustrated. But they’ve come a long way.”
Wells spoke of “mixed emotions” leading a team against the Lady Cyclones.
“Morgan, their senior, she’s been like my little girl since she was three years old,” Wells said. “I’ve coached her in everything’s she ever done, and it’s a very emotional feeling. I didn’t want to play the game, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”
jlewis@wilsontimes.com | 265-7807 | Twitter: @JimmyLewisWT
Mired in the throes of a challenging season, the Community Christian School varsity volleyball team turned its rescheduled Senior Night into a success for Morgan Garner.
Facing Wilson Preparatory Academy on the Peace Church court, the Lady Cyclones concluded their regular season by outperforming the Lady Tigers from the service line and particularly, in serve-receive.
The contrast between the teams in the latter category was striking as CCS walked away with a 25-11, 25-7, 25-16 victory. Originally, the Lady Cyclones (4-10) were to face Greenville Pope John Paul II at home Thursday, but a cancellation from the Saints left CCS to play its home finale Tuesday. CCS will begin play in the 1-A/2-A Coastal Independents Conference tournament next week. Wilson Prep, coached by former CCS girls basketball and softball coach Ronnie Wells, fell to 2-7.
“We played a lot more consistent tonight,” CCS head coach Kelly Bradshaw said. “We were alert, on our toes, which we haven’t been consistent doing that all year. So it’s been kind of a roller coaster, but they came to play tonight.”
In all three sets, CCS created separation from the service line. The Lady Cyclones were credited with 39 aces, 11 coming from junior Lauren Pate, who also added six kills. When CCS wasn’t taking advantage of poor serve-receive from the Lady Tigers in the opening set, Pate feasted on the front row with easy kills.
“That’s been our problem the whole year,” Wells said of serve-receive. “We got started late with practices, and they named me coach late because of this and that. They’ve come a long way. To start the game, we were a little bit shell-shocked. You saw it. But we won’t move, we won’t move our feet and we’ve got our legs locked.”
Garner’s Senior Night festivities started off on the wrong foot after she sent the first serve into the net. But Pate quickly leveled matters with a kill, and lengthy service runs from eighth grader Abigail Jackson, Pate and junior Kayla Farmer gave CCS a 17-4 lead. Farmer ran the CCS offense to the tune of 12 assists.
Garner redeemed herself at the end of the set, serving it out with an ace to put the Lady Cyclones up 1-0.
“It was bittersweet,” Garner said of her final home match. “Me and the whole entire team are like a family, so it’s really tough being our last (home) game. Especially with Kelsie (Strange). She’s like my best friend, and we were crying over here in the corner after the match. So, it’s pretty tough.”
Twelve points were gifted to Wilson Prep via service errors. The Lady Tigers showed tenacity when engaged in rallies, and had their best serve-receive performance in the third set. But in the second set, sophomore Makayla Webb and junior Logan Woodard thrived from the back line as CCS amassed leads of 17-3 and 23-7. Wilson Prep, which traveled all of four-tenths of a mile for a road game, lost a point being out of service order in the second set. Tyana Watkins, a senior, added a pair of aces for Wilson Prep.
“They really served well tonight, better than they have consistently all year,” Bradshaw said of the Lady Cyclones. “So tonight was much, much better.”
Wilson Prep fell down 7-0 and 20-9 in the third set, but used a 5-0 run to close within seven late. Senior Jadore Lucas-Barnes’ ace pulled the Lady Tigers within seven and forced a CCS timeout, but Wilson Prep could get no closer. Pate ended the match with her tip.
“One thing I’ve always done as a coach is preach you’ve got to move with the ball in every sport you play,” Wells said. “We won’t do it. A couple of the girls, they just don’t care, and I’ve got to live with that without getting too frustrated. But they’ve come a long way.”
Wells spoke of “mixed emotions” leading a team against the Lady Cyclones.
“Morgan, their senior, she’s been like my little girl since she was three years old,” Wells said. “I’ve coached her in everything’s she ever done, and it’s a very emotional feeling. I didn’t want to play the game, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”
