By David Rogers. GRANITE FALLS, N.C. — It was another sweep for Watauga High School’s varsity volleyball team over South Caldwell, 3-0 (25-21, 25-13, 25-17), on Sept. 30, played at Granite Falls Middle School because the Spartans’ gymnasium is having some work done on it. Another sweep, but not without some interesting aspects to the action.
We don’t have game stats on the Spartans, but they were effective, defensively, early in the match blocking the Pioneers’ big hitters, Emma Pastusic and Ashlyn Smith. Over the three sets Watauga’s power duo still recorded 18 and 11 kills, respectively, and middle blocker Kora Knight added 8 more, but many of those came after a Spartan block or dig that South Caldwell kept in play and returned back to the Pioneers’ side, needing to mount a second or even third attack on a rally.
Watauga head coach Kim Pryor acknowledged afterwards they knew the Spartans were adept, defensively, in digging out those attacking blasts, usually in the second row, because they had demonstrated those skills in the teams’ first encounter, in Lentz Eggers Gym on Sept. 11.
“South Caldwell is a well-coached team and we saw their digging abilities the first time, up in Boone. They have improved their blocking skills,” said Pryor.
Smith added, “We eventually figured out spots to better place our hits.”
South Caldwell also managed some attacking power of their own, but more often than not were disappointed by Watauga’s own defensive skill, expressed in digs. A trio of Pioneers reached double figures in digs, including Caroline Childers (16 digs), Lainey Gragg (12) and Lilli Combs (12). Smith and Pastusic added seven and five digs, respectively.
Now 18-1 overall, 7-0 in Northwestern Conference play, the Pioneers will look to keep their league record unblemished when they host the No. 2 team in the league, Alexander Central (13-4, 6-1) on Oct. 2 in Lentz Eggers Gym.
While Watauga is ranked by MaxPreps as the No. 3 6A classification team in North Carolina, behind only J.H. Rose (Greenville, N.C.) and Kings Mountain, Alexander Central is not far behind in the No. 9 ranking, out of 58 programs with the 6A classification.
SELECTED MATCH STATS
Kills: Emma Pastusic (18), Ashlyn Smith (11), Kora Knight (8), Julia Rowan (4), Rae Coffey (2), Addie Stough (1), Lainey Gragg (1), Lilli Combs (1)
Service Aces: Emma Pastusic (3), Ashlyn Smith (1), Lainey Gragg (1), Lilli Combs (1)
Blocks: Emma Pastusic (2), Rae Coffey (2), Addie Stough (2), Lainey Gragg (2), Kora Knight (1), Hannah Adams (1), Julia Rowan (1)
Digs: Caroline Childers (16), Lainey Gragg (12), Ashlyn Smith (7), Emma Pastusic (5), Graycie Collins (2), Kora Knight (1), Julia Rowan (1), Addie Stough (1), Rae Coffey (1)
Assists: Lainey Gragg (32), Caroline Childers (4), Julia Rowan (2), Graycie Collins (2), Rae Coffey (1), Ashlyn Smith (1)
Serve Receive: Caroline Childers (18), Ashlyn Smith (10), Emma Pastusic (7), Julia Rowan (2), Lainey Gragg (1), Addie Stough (1), Rae Coffey (1)
BONUS PHOTOS (Click on any image for larger view and Slide Show Mode)
