PREP VOLLEYBALL: CBA sweeps Burlington Williams

By Ben Coley
Published in Sports on October 27, 2016 10:06 AM

• Print
• Email

bcoley@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock head volleyball coach Tangela Faulkner urges her team to push the tempo with each service opportunity.

So when the Golden Falcons battled Burlington Williams in the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A state playoffs on Wednesday, her players showed no desire to wait.

As soon as the referee waved his hand and blew the whistle, each CBA player immediately slammed her serve toward the net. The lightning-quick pace overwhelmed the fourteenth-seeded Bulldogs, and the Golden Falcons notched a 25-21, 28-26, 25-16 sweep.

Third-seeded Aycock plays host to sixth-seeded Western Alamance in second-round play today. Game time is 6 p.m.

"I can't take credit for anything," Faulkner said. "All I can do is equip the girls. I feel really good because they're applying everything that we've worked toward. We've been playing all of these conference games and non-conference games for days like today."

CBA swiftly moved ahead 1-0, but in the second set, the Bulldogs showed fight.

There were 13 ties and eight lead changes in the set. The Golden Falcons moved in front 23-18, but the Bulldogs rattled off a scrappy 7-1 run to take a 25-24 lead.

The score was eventually tied at 26-all, but two resounding kills by CBA's Arlanda Faulkner summarily ended William's threat. The junior had seven kills in the middle set.

"In the second set, I would say we were having a difficult time with serve-receive," coach Faulkner said. "I think my girls got a little tired, and weren't really communicating. But we settled down really quickly, and we were able to come right out of it."

In the third set, the Golden Falcons displayed why they earned a top-three seed.

Midway through, the set was tied at 11. But CBA flexed its muscles, and broke the set open. The Golden Falcons went on a swift 11-2 run to take what would be an insurmountable 22-13 lead.

Tanika Powell and Taliyah Green each posted two kills in the final set.

Faulkner -- who won her first playoff game as head coach -- said the fast pace prevented the Bulldogs from adjusting and having time to think through their errors.

"(Williams) was a very scrappy team," Faulkner said. "We started out not playing at our tempo. We were playing a bit slow. But in the third set, I reminded them that we have to play our tempo and pick it up. And the game changed."

Arlanda Faulkner led the team with 17 kills. Cyerra Carter registered four solo blocks, and Cassandra Lassiter had 20 digs. Hannah Carter posted a double-double with 28 assists and 10 digs.

CBA's match versus Western Alamance will be its third game in four days -- undoubtedly the most grueling stretch of the season.

Faulkner acknowledged that fatigue will play a role, but also noted that the mind controls the body.

"That's going to be our biggest thing," Faulkner said. "Being able to play through being tired and stay tough mentally because when they're tired they start to show it mentally. So we just have to keep it together."