Surging Wilson Christian sweeps Greenfield
Efficiency, thy name is Jocelyn Bailey.
The Wilson Christian Academy sophomore, now five matches into her career with the Lady Chargers after coming over from DASH homeschool, was nothing short of a problem for host Greenfield School on Tuesday afternoon.
From the back line, Bailey set the tone for the day’s proceedings by helping serve WCA to a 6-0 lead. By the time the Lady Chargers seized their fourth straight win with a 25-15, 25-17, 25-18 victory, Bailey had compiled eight kills and 12 digs, requiring just 12 total swings to make her presence felt on the outside.
Fittingly, Bailey slammed the final point of the match to the floor for her eighth kill as WCA of the North Carolina Christian School Association 2-A East Region District 3 ranks climbed to 4-1 after dropping its opener. Greenfield, a 1-A program playing out of the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A/2-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference, slipped to 2-2.
“It’s been so great,” Bailey said. “They welcomed me in like family. It’s been so much fun.”
That extended family had plenty of fun at the expense of the Greenfield defense, as the Lady Chargers blistered on the attack with a .424 hitting percentage. WCA racked up 25 kills, with sophomore middle blocker Sophia Nesbit adding six kills. Senior Paige Barnes had four kills from an outside hitter spot, feasting off 30 assists from freshman setter sensation Izzy Barnes.
“I think it’s some of the best movement that we’ve had in the last few years as far as a team,” WCA head coach Ryan Vanderboegh said. “There’s no egos. They just want to win and play well.”
While Wilson Christian’s defense stayed active with 49 digs — eight coming from junior libero Peyton Norville and seven from Nesbit — Greenfield was left scrambling to collect 34 digs of its own. Sophomore defensive specialist Mackenzie Landers, a Hunt High transfer, was left to account for the WCA attack and accounted for 21 of the Lady Knights’ total.
“We definitely struggled a little bit in the back row,” Landers said. “But we had a good block, so I’m very proud of the front row. Digging, I’m personally working on getting my balls off the net. Everybody is just working on something and it’s the beginning of the season, so we’re still trying to work out those kinks. I think we did good overall and we put our best foot forward.”
Greenfield fought back briefly in the opening set, trimming a 6-0 WCA lead to 10-8. However, junior Jennifer Edmondson moved the Lady Chargers to a 16-8 edge from the service line, and the margin was no closer than seven the remainder of the way. The set ended when the Lady Knights were whistled on the attack for going into the net.
Wilson Christian never trailed again in the second set once erasing an early 5-4 Greenfield lead. Nesbit authored a 6-0 run from the back line, while the serving of senior Chloe Willard proved pivotal once the Lady Chargers led 19-15. Bailey’s kill put Willard on the line, and her two-ace output helped WCA arrive at set point. A lapse in Greenfield communication allowed a simple bump to fall to the floor on set point.
The Lady Knights were held to just 12 kills as WCA attackers frequently kept Greenfield out of its offensive system. Sophomore Gabrielle Vester, freshman Isabelle Parker and sophomore Jeallen Holland all had three kills. Ysabella Saldi, a sophomore, had 10 of Greenfield’s 11 assists. Junior Lilly Hesse supplemented Landers with five kills.
“We’re trying to work on siding out,” Landers said. “Just clean slate, new ball. But it’s improving, and we’re working on our team energy and effort.”
Keeping the Lady Knights on the run, in large part, was the frontcourt distribution of Barnes. Bailey has thrived nearly immediately.
“I think me and Izzy and Sophia play really great together,” Bailey said. “I love having her as a setter. I think if we just keep our energy up and keep each other motivated, we can do really well.”
Greenfield led as late as 10-9 in the third set before Gracie Farmer, a freshman up from the junior varsity, put the Lady Chargers up to stay with a service run that included a pair of line drive aces.
Aside from its season opener against 4-1 Greenville Christian where the offense came unglued in the fourth set, Wilson Christian has started to put together longer stretches of quality volleyball.
“That’s the big thing,” Vanderboegh said. “If we can minimize our errors, our mental mistakes, I think this team is going to be really tough.”
Efficiency, thy name is Jocelyn Bailey.
The Wilson Christian Academy sophomore, now five matches into her career with the Lady Chargers after coming over from DASH homeschool, was nothing short of a problem for host Greenfield School on Tuesday afternoon.
From the back line, Bailey set the tone for the day’s proceedings by helping serve WCA to a 6-0 lead. By the time the Lady Chargers seized their fourth straight win with a 25-15, 25-17, 25-18 victory, Bailey had compiled eight kills and 12 digs, requiring just 12 total swings to make her presence felt on the outside.
Fittingly, Bailey slammed the final point of the match to the floor for her eighth kill as WCA of the North Carolina Christian School Association 2-A East Region District 3 ranks climbed to 4-1 after dropping its opener. Greenfield, a 1-A program playing out of the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A/2-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference, slipped to 2-2.
“It’s been so great,” Bailey said. “They welcomed me in like family. It’s been so much fun.”
That extended family had plenty of fun at the expense of the Greenfield defense, as the Lady Chargers blistered on the attack with a .424 hitting percentage. WCA racked up 25 kills, with sophomore middle blocker Sophia Nesbit adding six kills. Senior Paige Barnes had four kills from an outside hitter spot, feasting off 30 assists from freshman setter sensation Izzy Barnes.
“I think it’s some of the best movement that we’ve had in the last few years as far as a team,” WCA head coach Ryan Vanderboegh said. “There’s no egos. They just want to win and play well.”
While Wilson Christian’s defense stayed active with 49 digs — eight coming from junior libero Peyton Norville and seven from Nesbit — Greenfield was left scrambling to collect 34 digs of its own. Sophomore defensive specialist Mackenzie Landers, a Hunt High transfer, was left to account for the WCA attack and accounted for 21 of the Lady Knights’ total.
“We definitely struggled a little bit in the back row,” Landers said. “But we had a good block, so I’m very proud of the front row. Digging, I’m personally working on getting my balls off the net. Everybody is just working on something and it’s the beginning of the season, so we’re still trying to work out those kinks. I think we did good overall and we put our best foot forward.”
Greenfield fought back briefly in the opening set, trimming a 6-0 WCA lead to 10-8. However, junior Jennifer Edmondson moved the Lady Chargers to a 16-8 edge from the service line, and the margin was no closer than seven the remainder of the way. The set ended when the Lady Knights were whistled on the attack for going into the net.
Wilson Christian never trailed again in the second set once erasing an early 5-4 Greenfield lead. Nesbit authored a 6-0 run from the back line, while the serving of senior Chloe Willard proved pivotal once the Lady Chargers led 19-15. Bailey’s kill put Willard on the line, and her two-ace output helped WCA arrive at set point. A lapse in Greenfield communication allowed a simple bump to fall to the floor on set point.
The Lady Knights were held to just 12 kills as WCA attackers frequently kept Greenfield out of its offensive system. Sophomore Gabrielle Vester, freshman Isabelle Parker and sophomore Jeallen Holland all had three kills. Ysabella Saldi, a sophomore, had 10 of Greenfield’s 11 assists. Junior Lilly Hesse supplemented Landers with five kills.
“We’re trying to work on siding out,” Landers said. “Just clean slate, new ball. But it’s improving, and we’re working on our team energy and effort.”
Keeping the Lady Knights on the run, in large part, was the frontcourt distribution of Barnes. Bailey has thrived nearly immediately.
“I think me and Izzy and Sophia play really great together,” Bailey said. “I love having her as a setter. I think if we just keep our energy up and keep each other motivated, we can do really well.”
Greenfield led as late as 10-9 in the third set before Gracie Farmer, a freshman up from the junior varsity, put the Lady Chargers up to stay with a service run that included a pair of line drive aces.
Aside from its season opener against 4-1 Greenville Christian where the offense came unglued in the fourth set, Wilson Christian has started to put together longer stretches of quality volleyball.
“That’s the big thing,” Vanderboegh said. “If we can minimize our errors, our mental mistakes, I think this team is going to be really tough.”
