By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Just by looking at the Watauga score sheet, you had to know that the final, afternoon non-conference match on Oct. 8 matching the Pioneers against the Rams of T.C. Roberson (Ashville) was a thriller. Although Watauga lost, 3-2, in the 5-set nail biter, the tough competition was just what head coach Kim Pryor was hoping for in her mid-season scheduling.
“Of course winning is more fun,” said Pryor, “but whatever the outcome these really close matches featuring outstanding play on both sides of the net are entertaining volleyball. And we had a lot of that great play this afternoon.”
The Pioneers took the Rams right to the edge in the first set, losing by 23-25, before coming back to take the second set in more dominant fashion, 25-12. They followed that up with another win in the third set, 25-18, which put Watauga just one set win away from sweeping their Oct. 8 opponents in the non-conference tri-match. They had beaten 3A power Fred T. Foard (Newton) in the first match of the morning, 3-1, also a match that could have gone either way.
But the Rams rallied to even things up 2-2 by winning the fourth set, 22-25, then followed that up with an overtime win in the fifth set, 14-16.
Now the Pioneers (17-2 overall, 7-0 in Northwestern Conference) look ahead to three matches to finish regular season conference play, first at Hibriten on Monday, Oct. 10, then at Freedom on Wednesday, Oct. 12, then returning home to finish the regular season slate against Ashe County in Lentz Eggers Gym, on Monday, Oct. 17.
SELECTED WATAUGA STATS AGAINST T.C. ROBERSON
- Kenzie Baldwin 1 kill, 1 assist, 2 service aces, 13 digs
- Evie Robbins 2 service aces, 7 digs
- Camryn Norris 20 assists, 1 service ace, 11 digs
- Faith Watson 2 kills, 3 stuff blocks
- Brooke Scheffler 25 kills, 19 assists, 2 stuff blocks, 2 service aces, 9 digs
- Caroline Farthing 18 kills, 2 stuff blocks, 3 service aces, 15 digs
- Kate McCullough 3 stuff blocks
- Sara Marlowe 1 kill, 6 stuff blocks
- Madi Combs 1 service ace, 1 dig
- Emma Pastusic 6 kills, 2 stuff blocks, 3 digs
