ROCKINGHAM – The Richmond Senior High School Lady Raider Volleyball Team build a bit of steam heading into next Thursday’s regular season finale against rival Scotland with last Thursday’s 5-set victory over Lee County.
The Lady Raiders avenged a sweep at the hands of the Lady Yellow Jackets in a come-from-behind victory last Thursday with Richmond playing with their backs against the wall the entire evening after starting off the match by dropping the first two sets 25-23 and 25-21.
“Really, it was them getting it together. They came in together ready to roll. They had the determination to win. The fans getting involved helped. I tried to tell them that all season. They believed in themselves and they pulled it out,” Richmond coach Ashleigh Larsen said.
Facing an early night with another losing set, libero Kenley Smith gave the Lady Raiders a bit of traction with 4 aces to start the third set. Smith ended the night tied with setter Ava Edmondson for the team lead in aces with 5 each, but her streak in the third set seemed to turn the tide for the Lady Raiders.
“I was just trying to serve really aggressively – hit every seam I could and try to get them to shank it. [Getting a win on senior night] was the goal. I really wanted to pull off a win for my seniors. I’m glad I did because it meant a lot to them. It meant a lot to me,” Smith said.
The Lady Raiders pulled away in the third set with a kill by Smith set up match point, then another kill on the following exchange by JNasia Neal sealed a 25-19 win. While Edmondson only had 4 kills on the evening, as the setter, most of the action went through her Thursday evening. Middle hitter Riley McDonald planted a team-leading 17 kills, followed by Neal with 14, but with all of the action going through Edmondson. Edmondson credited her success to having a good connection with the Lady Raiders’ outside hitters.
“My hitters and I have a really good connection. I mess up, they tell me where to go. I do it, and we solve the problem,” said Edmondson, who ended the night tied for second in team digs with Smith, but well behind Neal’s team-leading 24. “… It’s insane. It’s the best thing to see, especially JNasia. She has the best hangtime I have every seen in my life. She hits line. She hits cross. She’ll do anything.”
Although ending the night with 8 digs, best for fourth on the Lady Raiders, Abby Wellman’s digs came at just the right time. With Lee County spreading the ball with each serve, Wellman said communication on the back line was key to success last Thursday.
“We just had to be ready, be at that in between spot and be ready to hustle and get the ball up … We just needed to bring the energy and keep going,” Wellman said.
Despite winning the third set, the Lady Raiders continued battling, but a pair of net violations gave them the edge in extra sets with a 25-24 victory. Unlike the fourth set, it was all Lady Raiders in the fifth as Richmond pulled away with a 14-9 lead after McDonald kill set up match point, then an errant return sealed the victory for Richmond. With the win, Richmond improves to 7-12 and 3-8 in Sandhills Athletic Conference play. They wrap up the regular season next Thursday on the road against Scotland.
“It’s a good confidence building. Unfortunately, we only have one game next week, and it will feel like an eternity until we play. I think it’s a good feeling leaving with a win and preparing for Scotland next week. It’s never easy going into their gym,” Larsen said.