Aggressive-minded Aycock too strong for Eastern Wayne

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on October 5, 2012 1:48 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Stay in attack mode.

Don't give the other team any momentum.

It's a philosophy Davis Harris has preached to his Charles B. Aycock volleyball team throughout the season.

The girls listened Thursday afternoon.

Heart-broken from a four-set road loss on Tuesday, the aggressive-minded Golden Falcons started strong and handed county rival Eastern Wayne a 25-13, 25-15, 25-12 defeat in Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference play. Aycock (8-8 overall, 6-5 ECC) remained in contention for one of the league's four playoff berths.

"I don't think we played with as much energy as we've been playing with, but we played well enough. We got it done," Harris said. "They couldn't stop our middles, who were hitting very well and getting some good sets. (I) wish we could have set them more, but we spread the ball around.

"We were moving better than what I was thinking because it was so quiet (in the gym). I think we pretty much kept the momentum away from them."

Setters Emily Martin and Megan Dickerson combined to hand out 25 assists among six hitters. Junior Meredith Burroughs cranked out a match-high 14 kills, Madison Mercer contributed seven kills and Reagan Herndon put down three cross-court shots.

"Aycock came out today and took it to us," EW head coach Tony Parrish said. "They acted like they were on a mission, trying to finish as high as they can in the conference (for the playoffs). We were just flat-footed, had no momentum and couldn't get anything going.

"Credit them for taking it to us hitting. They were in offensive mode and we were in defensive mode for about the whole game."

Jenna Rouse, Mariah Stevens and Casey Young collected three kills apiece for the Warriors, who had their modest two-match win streak snapped. Kendra Nash dished out eight assists.

Rouse recorded nine of Eastern Wayne's 35 digs as a team on defense.

Each set ended on a Warrior service error.