Watauga completes conference ‘sweep’ with 3-0 decision vs. St. Stephens

October 9, 2025

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Watauga's volleyball team prepares for the last regular season match vs. St. Stephens on Oct. 9. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Completing a sweep of the entire Northwestern Conference, Watauga recorded yet another 3-0 decision on Oct. 9 vs. St. Stephens, on “Senior Night” at Lentz Eggers Gym (25-15, 25-10, 25-10).

“I’m just so proud to be a part of this team and how hard we have worked to get here, all season,” said senior Athena Elliott after the match. She aims to go to the Air Force Academy after graduation and become a fighter pilot.

Lainey Gragg puts up one of her 38 sets against St. Stephens on Oct. 9. Photographic image by David Rogers for High Country Sports

Elliott didn’t record any “kills” in this match, but senior teammate Emma Pastusic chalked up a game-high 26 of them. Another senior, middle blocker Kora Knight, racked up 8 more kill with junior outside hitter Ashlyn Smith following with seven kills.

Head coach Kim Pryor used the lopsided win to give valuable on-court varsity experience to a total of 14 Pioneers as the team prepares for the conference tournament next week and then the state playoffs.

As a team, Watauga put up a whopping 18 service aces against the Indians, led by Lainey Gragg (6 aces) and three each by Ember Honeycutt, Caroline Childers and the versatile Smith.

Defensively, the Pioneers weren’t active at the net with sophomore middle blocker Addie Stough recording the only block, but a quartet of Watauga back row players led the team in digs: Caroline Childers (12 digs), Emma Pastusic (10), Ashlyn Smith (8) and Lilli Combs (6).

Lainey Gragg staged Watauga’s offensive attack with 38 sets, while Childers (18 serve receives), Smith (12) and Pastusic (6) kept the ball in play on St. Stephens’ serving opportunities.

The Pioneers finish the regular season with a 21-1 overall record, the lone defeat coming at the hands of longtime rival, Hickory, 3-1, in the season’s first match, at Hickory on Aug. 11. Watauga returned the favor to the Red Tornadoes in Lentz Eggers Gym on Aug. 25, 3-1. In addition to not losing a single set in Northwestern Conference play, the Pioneers swept non-conference opponents West Wilkes, Southwestern Randolph, North Iredell, Providence, Forbush, A.L. Brown, Foard and Ashe County, while taking 3-1 wins over Ashe County and Hickory Christian Academy.

As the No. 1 seed for the conference tournament, Watauga receives a bye into the semifinals, to be played Tuesday, Oct. 14, at McDowell. The finals will also be played at McDowell, whomever the contenders for the conference tournament championship game on Wed., Oct. 15.