Davidson Day volleyball embraces – and thrives in – conference structure
DAVIDSON – Starting 4-0 in league play isn’t the only reason Davidson Day’s volleyball team is happy about being in a conference for the first time this year.
After spending previous seasons as an independent in the private NCISAA, the Patriots athletic program is competing in the four-team Foothills Athletic Conference. It’s a move the volleyball players agree keeps their schedule more organized.
“I feel like everything’s a lot more put together,” said senior Cat Bodick. “We’ve traveled a ton in the past, and this year, we travel a little bit, but it’s Charlotte, Winston, Statesville, not far at all. It’s nice having home games, and a lot of the students coming out to support us is a lot of fun, too.”
The home crowd has yet to witness a loss this season, coach Catherine Fulton’s 10th at Davidson Day. The Foothills teams are no slouches either, since all of the teams were seeded in the top five of the state playoffs a year ago.
Through the first four conference games, the team has lost just one set, and swept the competition at a recent tournament. The Patriots’ lone loss came to Gaston Day Sept. 9.
The Serve For The Cure tournament in south Charlotte included Davidson Day wins over Cuthbertson, Weddington, Charlotte Christian and Ardrey Kell. Three of the four are public schools that provide high-end competition.
“It shows us our strengths and weaknesses and what we can work on getting ready for the playoffs,” said Bodick, who is committed to play for USC-Aiken. “And we all just play better. When you play better competition, you play better as a team.”
But since the matches had 30-minute time limits, they were unofficial and don’t count towards the Patriots’ overall record (13-1 entering an Oct. 8 match against University Christian).
Though the event didn’t yield wins or losses, it did raise more than $40,000 for breast cancer research.
“Technically, they didn’t really count, but it was, ‘We’re all winners here because we’re fighting against breast cancer,’” Fulton said.
Davidson Day’s success has come from big hitters Bodick, Cierra Huntley and Gerren Tomlin.
Huntley, a Virginia Tech commit, leads the team with 188 kills (4.6 per set). Sophomore Tomlin is right behind her with 142 and 3.5 per set.
Setter Estella Sawyer calls playing with Huntley “amazing.”
“Even if my set’s off, I can trust Cierra with everything that I send her,” Sawyer said. “She’s going to do something smart with it every single time. Same with a lot of our other hitters, though. Cat, Garren, I know they’re going to put the ball away. They’re smart hitters, and they’re powerful.”
Though Sawyer is just a sophomore, she has already surpassed the 1,000-assist mark.
“She’s a really good leader (and) she’s tough,” Fulton said. “She will run through a brick wall after a ball. She’s really level-headed, which is really what you want from a setter.”
The patriots play their final home of the year against Statesville Christian at 5:45 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10. The NCISAA state playoffs will start the following week.
DAVIDSON – Starting 4-0 in league play isn’t the only reason Davidson Day’s volleyball team is happy about being in a conference for the first time this year.
After spending previous seasons as an independent in the private NCISAA, the Patriots athletic program is competing in the four-team Foothills Athletic Conference. It’s a move the volleyball players agree keeps their schedule more organized.
“I feel like everything’s a lot more put together,” said senior Cat Bodick. “We’ve traveled a ton in the past, and this year, we travel a little bit, but it’s Charlotte, Winston, Statesville, not far at all. It’s nice having home games, and a lot of the students coming out to support us is a lot of fun, too.”
The home crowd has yet to witness a loss this season, coach Catherine Fulton’s 10th at Davidson Day. The Foothills teams are no slouches either, since all of the teams were seeded in the top five of the state playoffs a year ago.
Through the first four conference games, the team has lost just one set, and swept the competition at a recent tournament. The Patriots’ lone loss came to Gaston Day Sept. 9.
The Serve For The Cure tournament in south Charlotte included Davidson Day wins over Cuthbertson, Weddington, Charlotte Christian and Ardrey Kell. Three of the four are public schools that provide high-end competition.
“It shows us our strengths and weaknesses and what we can work on getting ready for the playoffs,” said Bodick, who is committed to play for USC-Aiken. “And we all just play better. When you play better competition, you play better as a team.”
But since the matches had 30-minute time limits, they were unofficial and don’t count towards the Patriots’ overall record (13-1 entering an Oct. 8 match against University Christian).
Though the event didn’t yield wins or losses, it did raise more than $40,000 for breast cancer research.
“Technically, they didn’t really count, but it was, ‘We’re all winners here because we’re fighting against breast cancer,’” Fulton said.
Davidson Day’s success has come from big hitters Bodick, Cierra Huntley and Gerren Tomlin.
Huntley, a Virginia Tech commit, leads the team with 188 kills (4.6 per set). Sophomore Tomlin is right behind her with 142 and 3.5 per set.
Setter Estella Sawyer calls playing with Huntley “amazing.”
“Even if my set’s off, I can trust Cierra with everything that I send her,” Sawyer said. “She’s going to do something smart with it every single time. Same with a lot of our other hitters, though. Cat, Garren, I know they’re going to put the ball away. They’re smart hitters, and they’re powerful.”
Though Sawyer is just a sophomore, she has already surpassed the 1,000-assist mark.
“She’s a really good leader (and) she’s tough,” Fulton said. “She will run through a brick wall after a ball. She’s really level-headed, which is really what you want from a setter.”
The patriots play their final home of the year against Statesville Christian at 5:45 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10. The NCISAA state playoffs will start the following week.
