The 2021 Cape Fear Christian Academy varsity volleyball team is pictured after its second-place finish in the Sandhills Athletic Conference tournament at Fayetteville Christian on October 14. From left are Larah Tripp, Ella John Dupree, Rhyleigh Horne, Sara Shaw, Claire Parker, Taylor Beasley, Abby Hobbs. Madeline Brocious and Coach Paul Hobbs. Not pictured are Mariah Bell and Marlee Butler. The Eagles had a 17-9 record.

Cape Fear Christian Academy was topped, 3-1, by host Albemarle School of Elizabeth City on Tuesday in the semifinals of the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association 1-A volleyball playoffs.

Set scores were 25-11, 22-25, 25-21 and 25-13.

The Colts (15-3) came back from a 14-6 deficit in the third set. Albemarle, the No. 2 seed in the NCISAA tournament, travels to top-seeded Pungo Christian (19-3) for the state championship on Saturday at 4 p.m. Pungo took two of three meetings with Albemarle this season.

Cape Fear Christian finished 17-10, surpassing the win total of the 2016 Eagles team, which was 16-2, according to MaxPreps.

CFCA successfully defended its championship in the Falcon Invitational at Lee Christian on August 27-28.

The Eagles competed in the Sandhills Athletic Conference, finishing second in the SAC tournament as the only 1-A team in a league of 2-A and 3-A schools.

CFCA, the No. 6 seed in the state playoffs, took 3-0 home wins over United Faith and North Hills Christian in the first two rounds of the postseason.