VOLLEYBALL: CBA takes first set, but falls to powerhouse D.H. Conley

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on October 5, 2016 9:57 AM

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PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock's varsity volleyball team, a ranging tapestry of multi-sport athletes, was a study in volatility Tuesday evening, dropping its much-anticipated Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference matchup with D.H. Conley, 23-25, 25-12, 25-13 and 25-16 before a raucous home crowd.

From the outset, it was entertaining.

Led by Cyerra Carter and junior Arlanda Faulkner, the hosts started quickly, handling Conley's hocus-pocus service game with ease and producing blocks in volume at the net.

Deadlocked at 20-all, the Falcons won five of the next eight points in clinical, quick-hitting fashion to register a 25-23 opening set victory.

Game on.

"We talked about keeping our sets wide for our outside hitter," head coach Tangela Faulkner noted. "And running our middle tight to the center... they fought, laid out and didn't let anything hit the floor."

Conley (17-0 overall, 8-0 ECC), however, would right the ship.

The Vikings overcame their first-set funk and returned to form in the second stanza, getting organized and forming attack after attack courtesy of Caitlyn Smirne and Alannah Thomas.

Leading 14-10, Smyrne seized control for the Vikings. Finding her rhythm at the service line, she commanded the next six points to create an insurmountable Conley advantage.

In a blink, matters were square.

The about face also prompted Faulkner to deliver a lengthy post-set message to her troops, who simply didn't communicate as effectively throughout the Conley onslaught.

"We stopped talking," the coach said. "And I believe the team that talks the most is going to win."

On this night, it proved to be the visitors.

The Vikings owned all aspects of the third set, racing out to a 7-3 advantage and establishing opportunities en masse for Thomas, who finished the evening with 23 kills.

Conley 2, Aycock 1.

The visitors again illustrated their prowess in the finale, serving with aplomb and creating receive issues for CBA, which struggled to form attacks for the uber-athletic Faulkner.

"We struggled in serve receive the last three sets," coach Faulkner noted. "(And) ran the setter around so much... we weren't able to create the plays."

The duo of Faulkner and Carter led the Aycock advance with 13 and seven kills, respectively. Each logged four blocks apiece.

Juniors Hannah Carter and Cassandra Lassiter also made solid contributions for the powder blues, registering a combined 55 digs for the contest. Carter also posted 19 assists.

The effort, however, simply wasn't enough to topple Conley, deemed by many to be one of the top outfits in the state.

"They just have a really good serving team," Faulkner said.

Aycock (14-5, 3-5) is the guest of South Central next Monday.