By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Leave it to the middle school volleyball gods — and Green Valley — to fashion an upset in the last match of the quarterfinals of the Watauga County middle school volleyball tournament on Oct. 5, in Lentz Eggers Gym.
BONUS PHOTOS AT BOTTOM OF ARTICLE (click on any image for slideshow mode)
The first three quarterfinal matches were decided according to form and expectations. No. 1 seed Parkway had little in the way of trouble while facing No. 8 Bethel, handily sweeping the Beavers, 2-0 (25-9, 25-9).
No. 2 Hardin Park built up enough of an early first set lead to survive a No. 7 Mabel rally, then handily dispatched the Mustangs, 2-0 (25-16, 25-8).
As expected, the No. 3 Cove Creek vs. No. 6 Valle Crucis pairing proved a stiffer test. The Raiders ended up sweeping the Cougars to stay true to form, but the 25-22, 25-13 set scores reflected the challenge posed by a much improved Valle Crucis team vs. the year ago edition.
In the final quarterfinal match of the evening, No. 4 Blowing Rock and No. 5 Green Valley had the closest set as well as the biggest blowout, with the Rockets being upset by the Eagles in straight sets. Blowing Rock jumped out to an early, 8-3 lead in the opening set, only to have Green Valley chip away at the advantage and even things up at 15-15 in the first set. The two teams took turns looking like they would gain control, eventually forcing the match into overtime where the Eagles prevailed, 29-27. Green Valley’s dominating, second set win, 25-4, was little more than an anticlimax to the evening’s action.
The tournament resumes on Tuesday, Oct. 10.
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- 4 p.m. – No. 1 Parkway vs. No. 5 Green Valley
- 5 p.m. – No. 2 Hardin Park vs. No. 3 Cove Creek
- 6 p.m. – CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
BONUS PHOTOS FROM QUARTERFINALS
