By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. and ASHEBORO, N.C. — A young Watauga volleyball team that started out losing 3 of its first four non-conference matches in the 2024 season evened their season record at 3-3 with consecutive wins against tough opponents.
vs. St. Stephens
The Pioneers have long had a challenging, friendly rivalry relationship with St. Stephens through the years, dating back to when both teams competed in the 3A/4A Northwestern Conference.
An undefeated, 3-0 Indians team came into Lentz Eggers Gym to face a 1-3 Pioneer team on Aug. 21, but a solid offensive performance combined with gutsy defense allowed Watauga to sweep the Indians, 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-21).
Key Players
- WAT – Grace Tillery: 17 kills, 5 total blocks, 4 digs
- WAT – Kora Knight: 12 kills, 8 total blocks
- WAT – Ashlyn Smith: 8 kills, 7 serve receives
- WAT – Carolina Childers: 18 digs, 3 assists, 24 serve receives, 2 service aces
- WAT – Lainey Gragg: 26 assists, 6 digs
- WAT – Quinn Haines: 17 assists, 7 digs, 1 service ace
- SST – Julia Gnida: 27 kills, 15 digs, 22 serve receives
- SST – Kennedy Blevins: 36 assists
- SST – Ady Mchenry: 32 serve receives, 1 service ace
- SST – Delayna Spencer: 15 digs
vs. Southwestern Randolph
A year ago, Southwestern Randolph finished the season as the No. 3 ranked 2A team in the state, with an overall record of 25-5 and 12-0 in the 1A/2A Piedmont Athletic Conference, but lost five seniors to graduation coming into the current campaign. Under head coach Darby Kennedy, though, the SW Randolph program has thrived and become one of the 2A levels most dominant programs since she took the helm in 2013, without a losing record either in conference play or overall for any season.
In hosting Watauga on Aug. 22, it was two young teams going against each other, both wanting to prove something. And the scores reflected the combativeness, with Watauga surviving as a tenacious, five-set winner, 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 25-20, 17-25, 15-11).
Although SW Randolph had a size advantage with two players over six feet in height (junior middle blockers Bailey Blackmon, 6-0, and Kinlin Hulin, 6-2), and others approaching that height in sophomore outside hitter Carolina Cagle (5-10) and senior middle blocker Jade Matias (5-10), Watauga’s overall athleticism, quickness and skill won the day in the back-and-forth, 5-set thriller.
Key Players
- WAT – Grace Tillery: 14 kills, 8 service aces, 2 total blocks
- WAT – Ashlyn Smith: 10 kills, 11 digs, 23 serve receives, 1 service ace
- WAT – Gracyn Phelps: 8 kills,3 service aces, 2 total blocks
- WAT – Kora Knight: 6 kills, 4 total blocks
- WAT – Quinn Haines: 15 assists, 2 service aces
- WAT – Caroline Childers: 25 serve receives, 18 digs, 1 service ace
- WAT – Hadleigh Windish: 4 total blocks, 2 kills
- WAT – Lainey Gragg: 20 assists, 14 digs
- WAT – Kaitlyn Darner: 14 digs, 8 serve receives
- WAT – Katie Matheson: 12 digs, 12 serve receives, 1 service ace
- SWR – Grace Hodgin: 14 kills, 14 digs, 9 serve receives
- SWR – Kinlin Hulin: 12 kills, 8 total blocks
- SWR – Caroline Cagle: 7 kills, 3 total blocks
- SWR – Jade Matias: 5 kills, 10 serve receives
- SWR – Bailey Blackmon: 5 kills, 6 total blocks
- SWR – Madilyn Baker: 19 assists, 3 service aces, 11 digs
- SWR – Cheyenne Dixon: 4 service aces, 14 digs, 3 assists, 21 serve receives
- SWR – Paige Hughes: 3 total blocks
- SWR – Giannie Small: 14 digs, 26 serve receives
- SWR – Hailey Kennedy: 16 assists, 8 digs
