Sara Shaw gets a dig for host Cape Fear Christian on Thursday.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
After dominating the first set, Cape Fear Christian Academy had to rally in the last two in a 3-0 win over visiting North Hills Christian School in the second round of the NCISAA 1-A state playoffs Thursday. Individual set scores were 25-7, 25-22 and 25-20.
“We were very fortunate,” said CFCA coach Paul Hobbs. “They made a change and put two middles on the front. They actually ended up playing their middles all the way around, which gave us a bit of a fit. We’re used to a little different game, but we made the adjustments and came back and fought. I do have a person in a different position, so there’s a little bit of learning with that. But the girls fought through and did OK.”
The service line was a major factor in the win for the homestanding Eagles (16-9). Junior Rhyleigh Horne had six aces on 17 service points, senior Claire Parker had four aces on 14 service points and sophomore Ella John Dupree had six aces on 11 service points to lead CFCA.
Freshman Abby Hobbs had a double-double, with nine kills, 18 assists and 10 digs and Parker had nine kills to lead CFCA at the net.
Horne had four kills, two assists and 11 digs. Dupree had four kills and five digs. Madeline Brocious had one kill, three blocks and two digs and held serve for one point. Mariah Bell had one kill, one assist and seven digs and held serve for three points. Sara Shaw had one assist and 10 digs. Marlee Butler had one assist, 10 digs and one ace. Larah Tripp had one assist, one block and one dig. Abby Hobbs had one ace on three service points.
Sophomore Ava Sutton had eight kills, junior Carson Simmerson had six kills and three aces on 10 service points and junior Emma Hunsucker had 10 assists and two aces on eight service points to lead the visiting Eagles (10-6).
After CFCA dominated the first set, North Hills made adjustments and battled back in the second. But with North Hills leading 18-17, CFCA went on an 8-4 run, capped by a Dupree kill, assisted by Abby Hobbs, to end the set.
CFCA had to rally again late in the fourth set. With North Hills leading 19-12, a Tripp block started CFCA on a 13-1 run, with an Abby Hobbs kill, assisted by Parker, ending the match.
“It is a switch that goes off,” coach Hobbs said. “They can turn it off or they can turn it on. When they turn it on, very few teams can beat them. But when they turn it off, free balls can kill us. I just encouraged them to do it together. Saw some things tonight that we want to adjust mentally, as well as physically. Because we want to be tougher going into the next game.”
Cape Fear Christian will play at Grace Christian School (14-4) in the third round of the playoffs at 1 p.m. Saturday.
“We all know that we can get better,” coach Hobbs said. “And we all know that at each level, you have to get better. I’ve got all these stats and we can go through them and see where things changed. And tomorrow when we come in, we’re working on those change to make sure they’re implemented for Saturday.”
Claire Parker gets a kill as CFCA advanced in the NCISAA tournament.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Rhyleigh Horne serves against North Hills Christian.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Mariah Bell gets a dig in aa 3-0 Cape Fear Christian victory.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Madeline Brocious gets a block for Cape Fear Christian.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
E;lla John Dupree gets a kill on Thursday from the outside position.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Abby Hobbs gets a match-ending kill for CFCA.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
