VikingsClinchPlayoffs

VOLLEYBALL: VIKINGS SWEEP SEASON MATCHES WITH WEBB: CLINCH PLAYOFFS
OXFORD — With the postseason on the line, Northern Vance had to play from behind again — but this time, it took four competitive sets to spoil senior night for J.F. Webb.

After falling in the first frame, the Vikings won the next three to sweep the season series over the rival Warriors and clinch the fourth and final Carolina 3A playoff bid.

The first time the teams met, Northern fell in the first two sets before rallying back to win in five. On Tuesday night, the Vikes responded by winning hard-fought second and third sets and carrying the momentum into a seven-point win in the fourth.  

“That is a big improvement for us because we’re learning to take care of business before we get too much in a hole,” said Northern coach April Abbott. “They knew the stakes of tonight, so that kind of pushed them over the edge.”

The teams traded points and swapped the lead a few times early in the first set. The Warriors had the advantage at 9-8, but didn’t lead by less than two until they took a 17-14 lead.

Northern’s Hannah Thompson answered Kelly Newton’s kill with one of her own to bring the Vikings within four at 23-19. Northern won the next point, but Webb answered with two straight to close out the game 25-20.

“Our girls came out ready to play — after that first game,” said Abbott. “The first game was kind of the jitters. I think the people in the stands kind of got to them, but after that first game, they came out ready to play.”

“They knew what was on the line tonight and they were ready to play for it, so that comforts me going into the playoffs.”

In Set 2, Katie Wilson’s early ace gave Northern a 4-2 lead, but back-to-back Ginny Brooks kills knotted it up. Thompson gave the 7-6 advantage back to the Vikings with a kill before serving up an ace.

The Warriors scored points at the net with a pair of kills from Newton and Brooks at the set’s opening stages.

Webb gained the lead again and went on an 8-1 run to make it 16-8, but the Vikings came roaring back after a couple of Thompson kills and a block and a kill from Wilson. Northern overtook the lead at 20-19 and won the set 25-20. Three of the last six Viking points were scored off of kills from Thompson.

Set 3 was more of the same, with the teams dueling early. Webb had a lead that grew as big as five at 15-10, but couldn’t hold onto it.

Thompson again stepped up big with two kills in a run that tied it at 17. A Rebekah Edwards put-away gave Northern the lead on the next volley, and the Vikes never looked back. The 10-2 run gave the momentum squarely to Northern.

Kills from Thompson scored two of the last three Viking points of the set, which Northern won 25-20.

Webb took a 1-0 lead in the fourth with a block from Sarah Thomasson, but it was the last time the Warriors would lead.

Webb later pulled to within one at 15-14, but couldn’t tie it up. An Edwards ace and kills from Thompson and Kaylin Owen were part of the 12-4 Viking run that closed the final set 25-18.

“You’ve got to be tough to play this game because volleyball’s such a mental game,” said Webb coach Ellis Crews, “And that’s one of our weaker points is just not being tough enough.”

Crews was pleased with the play of senior Brittani Moore, playing in her last game as a Warrior.

“Brittani really stepped up tonight, our libero. She dug some balls and she stayed in there. She knew it was her last game.”

Moore was one of four seniors recognized on senior night, along with Newton, Brooks and Alyssa Blair.

Webb finishes the season with two conference wins over Southern Vance. The Warriors needed to beat Northern to force at least a play-in game with the Vikings.

Northern Vance is 3-6 heading into the final regular season matchup with Southern. The Vikings will finish fourth in the conference behind Cardinal Gibbons, Chapel Hill and Orange.

Thompson tallied 26 kills in the match to go with 13 digs and a pair of aces. Rebecca Esquivel led the distributing effort with 29 assists, and added an ace and a kill.

Libero Natalie Reavis was big defensively, finishing with 36 digs. Wilson had two blocks, two kills and three aces, and Lauren Abbott had three blocks and four kills. Owen had 22 digs to accompany eight kills.

Newton finished with 32 digs, 14 kills, three block, three service points and an ace. Brooks had 35 digs, 11 kills, nine service points and an ace.

Moore had 23 digs, five service points and an ace. Morgan Davis tallied 30 assists to go with five kills, 14 digs, a block, three service points and one ace. Thomasson had a pair of kills and six blocks, while junior varsity call-up Catherine Pittard had a block to go with five kills.

“If they show up like they did tonight, I think they can compete,” said Abbott. “If this is the same team that shows up for playoffs — the ones that were out there tonight — I expect at least to go second round. That’s the least that I expect.”

Contact the writer at erobinson@hendersondispatch.com.

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