After disappointment, somebody had to pay

RANDLEMAN — There are ways a team can use a disappointing loss late in the season to motivate. The Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles volleyball team certainly looked motivated during the Piedmont Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament last week.

And there was a good reason for that. They certainly were.

A five-set loss to Southwestern Randolph on the final day of the regular season cost the Eagles an opportunity to share a regular season conference championship with Randleman, so as UCA head coach Lee Kennell said, someone had to pay.

“I think they were ticked off,” Kennell said of the Eagles, who were shooting for their first PAC regular season title only to have a talented Cougars team sweep down and take it away with a thrilling five-set battle on Oct. 10. “We have no one to blame but ourselves. 

“We just wanted to take it out on people. We have some tough girls. They have been through it. They have played at a high level in JO. They wanted to take it out on who we played.”

After opening the tournament with a straight-set win over Wheatmore on Oct. 8, the Eagles met the same Cougars who shattered their regular-season title hopes. On this night, it wasn’t close as UCA recorded a 25-19, 25-17, 25-18 victory to advance to the finals, where the No. 1 seed Randleman Tigers awaited.

UCA dominated the first two games, 25-13 and 25-18, before the Tigers stormed back for a 25-20 win in Game 3. In the incredibly close and back-and forth Game 4, the Eagles took a 21-17 advantage. But RHS scored six straight points for a 23-17 lead and it looked like the match would be settled in a fifth and deciding game.

But the Eagles had one more scoring spurt in them as they tied the game at 23-23, staved off one match point and scored the final three points for a 26-24 tournament-title clinching win.

It was the second PAC Tournament title for UCA, joining the one earned in 2021.

“It’s a special group,” said Kennell, moments after the Eagles improved to 26-3 on the season as they headed into the first round of the NCHSAA state 1-A playoffs, which began Tuesday night. “I am so happy for this group. We always talk about each team leaving a mark. As a coach, you want nothing but success for each group you have. When you have a team that works as hard as they do, I know I demand a lot of them. When you put the work in, you want to see the results.”

The result was an impressive display of volleyball in which every member of the team contributed. Sophomore Caroline Way, junior Nyasia Wharton and seniors Kayden Faglier, Anna Brewer and Morgan Lowe were strong with their offensive attack and blocking ability, while setter Emory Johnson quarterbacked the offense. Libero Sadie Upchurch was sensational on defense and in the serving department as were Ava Hancock, Gracie Smith and others. It was truly a team effort.

“We really want this,” said Way, who led the team with 21 kills. “We finished second in the conference, which is really good, but we wanted more. Our mindset going in was to keep our heads straight and winning the first and then the second set really helped us get momentum. We lost the momentum a little bit in the third set, but our mindset was to keep an eye on the endgame, you’ll be winning.”

Way was dominant, providing kill after kill, many to keep an Eagle streak alive or to halt a Randleman scoring spurt.

“That loss hurt, but we needed it to come to the realization that we can be better than what we had been playing at the time,” Way said of the final loss to SWR. “All have equal amounts. All our jobs are equally important. It takes all of us to win like this.”

Faglier, an explosive athlete who provided tremendous net play, finished with 13 kills and a block.

“It felt good to know even when we were down, we kept pushing,” Faglier said. “Even when we lost that set, we kept fighting. You have to be confident in yourself. It feels really good to finally win a conference championship.”

The Tigers, who jumped on Trinity the night before, grabbing an 18-1 lead in Game 1 of a three-game sweep, couldn’t match that early success against the Eagles.

“We have to show up faster,” said RHS coach Kerry Mitchell, whose team slipped to 16-4 heading into the state 2-A tournament, which began Tuesday night. “It's like we didn't get off the bus, but it's our home gym. If we can have every set like the third and fourth set, I would feel better. I don't mind losing to really good teams. How we lost the first and second set, I won't sleep tonight.”

The Eagles had a strong serving match while the Tigers uncharacteristically struggled in that department.

“They were serving lights out against us and we weren't serving well,” Mitchell said. “Their blocking was outstanding and if we’re going to swing into their blocks … It's such a huge momentum swing to get a block. It's hard for the shooter to get blocked and then get a good swing after that.”

UCA’s Brewer added eight kills and two blocks, Lowe had eight kills and Hancock had three aces.

RHS’ Ava Jones had seven kills, six blocks and one ace, Camden Scott had 15 kills and 18 digs and Haley Hinshaw added 14 kills and six digs. Camryn Vickery had 45 assists and now has 1,924 in her pursuit of 2,000 for her career.

PLAYOFF PAIRINGS:

Tuesday, Oct. 22

State playoffs, first round

1-A 

No. 29 Andrews at No. 4 Uwharrie Charter

No. 24 Eastern Randolph at No. 9 Draughn

2-A

20 Newton-Conover at No. 13 Southwestern Randolph

No. 30 Rutherfordton-Spindale Central at No. 3 Randleman

No. 18 Trinity at No. 15 West Stokes

3-A

No. 19 Pisgah at No. 14 Asheboro

Thursday, Oct. 24

State playoffs, second round