VGCC Women’s Volleyball season off to strong start
The Vance-Granville Community College women’s volleyball team is 6-0 to start the 2016 season. After a scrimmage on Aug. 22 versus the JV squad at St. Andrews University, the Vanguards officially began the regular season with a weekend of contests on the road in three states.
First, VGCC played Piedmont International University in Winston-Salem on Aug. 26. In the first match of the doubleheader, the Vanguards defeated the Bruins in three sets, with scores of 25-6, 25-13 and 25-11. Leading VGCC were sophomores Jesse Edwards of Henderson, who put up 7 kills, 14 assists, 5 aces, 7 block assists and 7 digs, and Kiyanna Kearney of Henderson, with 8 kills, 2 aces, 2 solo blocks, 3 block assists and 8 digs. Freshman Stormi Abernathy of Yanceyville contributed 9 kills, 15 assists, 3 aces, 2 solo blocks and 9 digs, while fellow newcomer Hannah Arneth of Oxford had 4 kills, 5 aces and 3 digs.
The second match was also a 3-0 victory (25-9, 25-9, 25-15) for VGCC over PIU. Edwards had 4 kills, 10 assists, and 3 aces. Kearney contributed 13 kills, 2 solo blocks, 2 block assists and 4 digs. Abernathy recorded 5 kills, 25 assists, 2 block assists and 5 digs. Freshman Katelynn Ray of Henderson put up 6 kills, 2 block assists and 4 digs. Kristen Senter of Franklinton, also a VGCC freshman, had 6 digs and 4 aces.
VGCC moved on to play Hiwassee College in Madisonville, Tennessee, the next day (Aug. 27). The teams agreed to play their doubleheader as best-of-three matches rather than the more typical best-of-five. The Vanguards defeated the Hiwassee Tigers in two sets in the first match, with scores of 25-20 and 25-19. Abernathy led the way with 11 digs, 9 assists, 2 solo blocks and 4 kills. Edwards added 6 kills, 7 assists and 6 digs. Arneth had 6 digs, 5 kills and 3 aces.
The second match was also close, but VGCC again prevailed, with scores of 25-21 and 25-20. Kearney had 10 digs, 6 kills and 2 solo blocks. Abernathy led in assists (9) while also contributing 5 digs, 4 kills and 2 aces. Edwards recorded 6 kills and 4 digs.
From Tennessee, the Vanguards traveled to Rossville, Ga., to take on the Bobcats of Georgia Northwestern Technical College later the same day. Again playing best-of-three, VGCC won the first match of the doubleheader 2-0 (25-15 and 25-21). Kearney had 10 digs and 5 kills. Arneth posted 6 digs, 4 kills and 3 aces. Edwards added 4 kills and 5 assists. Abernathy contributed 10 assists and 4 digs.
The second match was another 2-0 victory for VGCC (25-17 and 25-21). Arneth led with 6 kills and 6 aces. Abernathy put up 12 assists, 6 digs and 4 kills. Kearney had 6 digs and 5 kills.
VGCC rounded out the weekend with scrimmages against the JV squads from two four-year colleges in Western North Carolina, Montreat College and Brevard College.
The Vanguards take their undefeated record into their first home contest, set for Saturday, Sept. 10, at 11 a.m. at Aycock Recreation Center in Henderson. The tri-match starts with VGCC versus Danville (Va.) Community College, followed by Danville CC versus Mid-Atlantic Christian University, and concluding with VGCC playing MACU. Admission to the match is free of charge.
