VOLLEYBALL: Golden Falcons top Gators in 4 sets

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on August 17, 2016 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

SPRING CREEK -- The good thing about early-season matches?

You can identify your strengths and weaknesses.

And if Tuesday's four-set affair between county foes Charles B. Aycock and Spring Creek is any indication, both teams have plenty of kinks to iron out before they open their respective conference seasons.

Junior outside hitter Arlanda Faulkner pounded out a match-high 13 kills and logged 18 digs on defense as the Golden Falcons claimed a 25-16, 25-9, 23-25, 25-18 victory in "The Swamp."

Aycock improved to 2-0 overall.

"I think we have really good team chemistry," said first-year CBA head coach Tangela Faulkner, who is a member of the University of Mount Olive Athletics Hall of Fame.

"They're playing well together, but we're just trying to work through the kinks in our serve receive. They don't break down easy, they hold it together and they don't get down on each other."

The Golden Falcons played the aggressor role and forced an up-tempo pace for most of the match. While the speed led to 41 total errors (serving, ball handling and attack miscues), Aycock denied Spring Creek (0-2) any chance of going on offensive spurts of its own.

Faulkner received on-point sets from Hannah Carter (31 assists) and fired rocket shots that hit the floor long before any SC defender could reach them. Senior middle hitter Cyerra Carter logged seven kills, mostly off-speed plays that dropped into an open center court against a spread out Gator defense.

SC gave up down-the-line, cross-court and cut shots inside the 10-meter line throughout the four-set affair.

"We usually start off the season with some not-so-high competition, so it's been an eye opener for them," said SC head coach Staci Pence, whose team couldn't overcome 41 errors of their own. "I think that's good and it's what I've been wanting to do is to have them see this is what volleyball is like.

"It's good to start with a tough team. It teaches them a hard lesson."

Aycock served 20 aces -- four each from Jamilla Jackson and Cassandra Lassiter. Lassiter also provided a team-high 22 digs after moving from setter to libero this season.

"We needed somebody to step into that role that knew the quick pace of varsity (play)," coach Faulkner said. "She was able to do that right away."

The Golden Falcons built an eight-point lead in the opening set and owned a double-digit advantage in the second set. Faulkner toyed with her lineup in the third set and the Gators controlled the tempo to avoid a sweep.

Faulkner's kill off a Jackson assist and Jackson's ace ignited a 10-5, fourth-set run that all but sealed Aycock's first road win of 2016.

Kayla Herring led Spring Creek with eight kills and three digs. Ivet Carreno handed out eight assists. Mackenzie Ingram served two aces.