By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — In one of the most electric environments in Lentz Eggers Gym in recent memory, Watauga High School’s varsity women’s volleyball team clawed back from a 19-13 deficit in the third set to complete a sweep of Alexander Central on Oct. 2, 3-0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-23).
It was “Pink Out” night in Lentz Eggers gym, in support of breast cancer research. With the player introductions, the public address announcer also added who each Watauga player was remembering or honoring on this night.
Although the visiting Cougars competed fiercely in the first two sets, Watauga seemed in control the entire journey, always turning back AC’s rallies. Whether the Pioneers got complacent after going up 2-0 or their opponents made some adjustments of kind is open for discussion, but from the start of the third set Watauga was in relative disarray — errant passes, the sets less precise, the attacking kill shots off target.
With the partisan crowd enthusiastically behind them, though, the Pioneers shook off the early foibles, got back in synch and rallied behind the hustling placements of junior setter Lainey Gragg and thunderous kill shots by senior outside hitter Emma Pastusic.
Testimony to the attacking skill of Alexander Central were the defensive numbers put up by host Watauga. No less than five Pioneers recorded double digits in digs, including Pastusic’s 19, Caroline Childers with 14, Ashlyn Smith (14), Lilli Combs (13), and Lainey Gragg (10). Each instance of a “dig” implies the ball was kept in play and effectively passed to a teammate keeping a counterattack opportunity alive.
“Those comebacks are fun. (At least) afterwards, they are fun,” said a smiling Pioneer head coach Kim Pryor. “We got in a lull. All year long, we never showed a lack of confidence. Just for a minute (tonight), we did. We called a timeout to talk about that, ‘… to never, ever play without confidence. You’ve earned the right to play with confidence with everything you have (accomplished) this year.’ So they just lifted. They turned it around, fortunately. We just took control and rolled it in.”
As with most hotly contested matches, this one was not without controversial officiating calls — and Pryor, the passionate head, was not reluctant in letting her viewpoint known when a call went against her Pioneers. Her getting yellow carded when Watauga was in the midst of that third set rally might well have helped extend the team’s momentum.
“I am not aiming to get yellow cards,” said Pryor, what is believed to be her fourth yellow card of the season. “But I think sometimes when I get fiery, (the girls) get fiery, for some reason. More than that, though, when players are flying into the wall, over the bench and the ball falls for us, that is so motivating. Those kinds of plays just propel us.
“We have to be careful not to be complacent,” Pryor added, “just because we have won so much on the road. The way we have done it is to take control of games and play with energy. We didn’t bring as much energy early (in that third set). We have to make sure we play with energy all the time.”
Pryor’s competitive experience over many years of coaching brought another, special insight about her team’s performance against Alexander Central.
“You know, we needed to have this game (especially at this point in the season),” noted Pryor. “(Alexander Central) is a great team. We didn’t play our best but we were able to pull it out. As a team, we need to see that, to know that we are able to play at our highest level and winning, and also playing not as well and still pulling through. We need to see this level of competition.”
Pryor acknowledged the energy provided by the enthusiastic crowd — and passed on a compliment.
“The Alexander Central coach complimented our crowd, which was cheering and the student section was being funny and all. But they were still being respectful at the same time. We have one of the best student sections in the state. Sometimes they roll in late because many of them have their own practices, but when they come in they are a force. We love having them in the gym,” said Pryor.
One of the comeback sparkplugs might well have been the serving of junior defensive specialist and backup libero Graycie Collins.
“I was feeling the moment,” Collins said. “It was really electric… the fans, our bench. There was a lot of energy in the gym and it was supporting us. We have a huge target on our backs. Coach even told us that after our last game. Each opponent from here on is out to get us. Alexander Central came out strong in that third set and it fired us up even more. It was exciting. It was awesome.”
Watauga next takes that target — 19-1, including an 18-game winning streak, and undefeated, 8-0, in Northwestern Conference play — to Marion, N.C. on Oct. 7, to face a 7A classification opponent, McDowell. The match is scheduled for approximately 6:15 p.m., after the junior varsity game starting at 4:30 p.m.
The Pioneers will close out the regular season on Oct. 9, hosting St. Stephens (6 p.m.). Watauga swept both McDowell (3-0, Sept. 18) and St. Stephens (3-0, Sept. 23) in the first half of the home-at-home series.
SELECTED MATCH STATS
Kills: Emma Pastusic (20), Ashlyn Smith (10), Kora Knight (8), Lainey Gragg (3), Addie Stough (2), Hannah Adams (1)
Service Aces: Ashlyn Smith (3), Graycie Collins (2), Lainey Gragg (1), Caroline Childers (1)
Blocks: Addie Stough (2), Lainey Gragg (1), Hannah Adams (1)
Digs: Emma Pastusic (19), Caroline Childers (14), Ashlyn Smith (14), Lilli Combs (13), Lainey Gragg (10), Graycie Collins (3), Addie Stough (1), Hannah Adams (1), Kora Knight (1)
Assists: Lainey Gragg (38), Caroline Childers (3), Ashlyn Smith (2), Graycie Collins (1)
Serve Receive: Caroline Childers (24), Ashlyn Smith (19), Emma Pastusic (6), Lilli Combs (2), Lainey Gragg (1)
BONUS PHOTOS (click on any image for larger view and Slide Show mode)
All photographic images captured and processed by David Rogers for High Country Sports
