Aycock knocks off Cleveland
By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on September 10, 2010 1:46 PM
PIKEVILLE -- This one had to put a few gray hairs on the head of Davis Harris.
After rolling through the opening set Charles B. Aycock woke back up in time for a 25-13, 22-25, 25-23, 25-23 victory over Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference foe Cleveland on Thursday afternoon.
The Golden Falcons controlled the first set and consecutive aces from Rachel Jordan put Aycock in front 19-7. Connor Davis and Bailee Hughes each recorded three kills and an ace in the opening set.
Rams' middle hitter Courtney Ireland went to work in the second set tallying six kills and two blocks. The Golden Falcons had difficulty accounting for Ireland defensively and passing consistently in set two.
"We played a great first set," said Harris, the Golden Falcons head coach. "A lot of times we seem to get one and play well, and then relax. We weren't moving and talking like we had been."
Ireland and Courtney Morris' block on Davis gave Cleveland an 18-12 advantage. Aycock pulled to within 22-19 on Jordan's ace, but Ireland hammered out a pair of kills down the stretch to finish out the set.
"We let (Ireland) dictate the whole tempo of game two," said Harris. "She single-handedly dominated game two. She had us on our heels."
Ireland's block and kill helped the Rams take a 3-0 lead in the third set. Aycock slowly began to regroup and Hughes' kill and Madison Mercer's ace gave the Golden Falcons a 13-10 cushion.
Cleveland closed to within 23-21 on Julia Loop's kill. Emily Martin and Davis both delivered kills as Aycock claimed the third set.
The Rams jumped out to a 20-12 lead in the fourth set before the Golden Falcons battled back. Davis supplied three kills during a critical stretch and Reagan Herndon's kill gave Aycock a 24-23 advantage. Mercer's block brought the match to a close.
Ireland finished with 14 kills and four blocks.
"They hung in there and picked it up," said Harris. "I just don't want them to do it in spurts. I want them to do it all the time."
Hughes finished with 10 kills and four aces. Davis tallied seven kills and four aces.
The Golden Falcons (4-4 overall, 1-2 ECC) visit Eastern Wayne on Tuesday.