Area volleyball teams seek team chemistry

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on August 17, 2014 1:52 AM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

Eager to play against someone other than teammates who wear the same color uniform, five area teams hit the volleyball court at Wayne Christian on Saturday.

Goldsboro, Spring Creek, Wayne Country Day and North Duplin participated in the ninth annual jamboree -- a 14-team event contested at Clifford Gymnatorium that included programs on the public, independent and Christian schools levels.

"I really like this format, the competition," seventh-year Goldsboro head coach TJ Lancaster said. "You're still working out a lot of preseason kinks, but you get to do 'in-game' situations, which you see on the scoreboard and get the chance to talk about it."

Five starters return -- Alexus Davis, Matti Rose Lyon, Maddie Jara, Kaylee Lyon and Becca Pittard. Lancaster has searched for team chemistry and a right-side hitter during preseason workouts. He hopes one of the four freshmen steps into that role.

The Cougars, more than likely, won't field a JV team this fall.

The N.C. High School Athletic Association has mandated that players are allowed to participate in no more than 23 regular-season games. Teams low in numbers that play their JV and varsity on the same day will no longer have that luxury.

"That's a game-changer for our school because we are relying on every person from ninth grade to 12th grade," second-year North Duplin head coach Laura Thornton said. "We've got 11 freshmen and sophomores with five upperclassmen. We're looking to develop the volleyball program and give our players a chance to grow and become better, plus have some fun."

North Duplin returns five starters -- sophomore setter Rylee Pate, Mary Beth Barwick, senior Chesney Brown, senior Jennifer Barrow, junior Elizabeth Thornton and junior Shaily McCarty. The quintet guided the Rebels to four wins and a sixth-place finish in Carolina 1-A Conference play in 2013.

Coach Thornton expects improvement this fall.

"Our goal today (in the scrimmage) is to give everybody an opportunity to get some court time, to get those preseason jitters worked out and look at how our kids play with each other ... find that team chemistry to move forward," she said.

Spring Creek, not surprisingly, had plenty of chemistry.

The Gators return five players off of last year's team that logged 15 wins and advanced to the NCHSAA 1-A playoffs. Senior captains Rachel McCollum and Sarah Ford lead a talented squad that could contend for the program's first Carolina 1-A Conference championship since 2007.

Also back are Daisy Martinez, Alanna Price and libero Lexi Reyes.

"We have a very good core (of returners)," first-year SC head coach Staci Pence. "I couldn't ask for a better setter (Ford) to start off with or a better outside hitter (McCollum). They're both phenomenal.

"I'm really excited."

Pace used the scrimmage to experiment with some different rotations in hopes of finding the team's strong points on the court.

Second-year Wayne Country Day head coach Steven Mau hopes to see his team step forward after a season-opening, three-set loss to Community Christian on Friday. The Chargers will get little rest, though. They play host to perennial power Oakwood on Monday.

"It was an interesting start to the season, but I'm kind of glad we got that first game out of the way before we came here (to Wayne Christian)," Mau said. "I just want to see progress, being it serving or passing. We have to move forward as a team based on our performance (against Community)."

A young team with talent, the Chargers return four starters -- seniors Sarah Crooks and Rachel Uzzell, and juniors Tiffany Larsen and Savannah Strickland. They're joined by Stephanie Schappell, Cheyenne Canuette, Olivia Dively and Teriece Hawley.

Ninth-year Wayne Christian head coach Rick Moore, like everyone else, wants to see improvement before the team's season opener at home Tuesday against Spring Creek.

The Eagles return numerous players and has a five-player freshman class that gained valuable experience last season. Moore's first six on the floor are Emily Wells, Hannah Sladik, Brooke Slusher, Casey Norris, Reagan Taylor and Sarah Sawyer.

"You've got to play enough to get a good feel for the game like any sport," Moore said. "After you play for a length of time, it becomes second nature and that's what I'm waiting to see. It's a matter of getting that cohesiveness ... knowing what each other is going to do and trusting each other."