A two-set rally by the Fort Mill boys’ volleyball team helped to get them into the 5A playoffs.
The Jackets beat the Byrnes Rebels 3-2 (18-25, 22-25, 25–21, 25-22, 15-11) and will start the playoffs next Tuesday, Oct. 20. Fort Mill finished the regular season at 14-13 overall.
“This kind of sealed it for us,” said Fort Mill head boys’ volleyball coach Tamisha Martin. “This should solidify it for us.”
The fifth set saw the Jackets go up early 5-3. Byrnes scored three straight to gain a lead as Fort Mill would take a timeout to try and regroup. The Rebels came out of the timeout with three more points to score six consecutive and go up 9-5.
Fort Mill kept playing and came back to tie the set at nine. The momentum stayed in the Jackets corner as they took the fifth set 15-11.
Fort Mill opened the set scoring first, but Byrnes quickly took the lead with well-placed shots. Unforced errors started to affect the Jackets offense as the Rebels went up 12-6. Byrnes kept Fort Mill doubled up for most of the first set, but the Jackets made a strong rally with six straight points to pull within two at 15-13. The Jackets stayed close but could not take the lead. Byrnes would close out the first set out of a timeout 25-19 to go up 1-0.
Fort Mill started better in the second set and matched Byrnes point-for-point. Neither team was able to pull away as the adjustments between sets worked for Fort Mill. Each team would take small two-point leads but couldn’t get an advantage.
Byrnes then scored four of six points to go up 21-17 before a Jackets timeout. The small run was enough to open things up for the Rebels as they won 25-22.
Martin said she talked to her team before the third set to remind them they wanted to win on their senior night.
“We had to go back to our original lineup,” she said. “That made the difference.”
The Jackets started strong, going up 5-1 in the third set. Fort Mill was able to hold serve and keep Byrnes at bay. As the set wore on, the Rebels closed the gap, but the Jackets managed to hold on for a 25-21 win.
Byrnes started the fourth set 3-1, but Fort Mill scored six straight to gain the lead and switch the momentum early.
The Jackets’ serve led to multiple aces to push their lead to 12-6. Fort Mill kept playing with aggression and was able to pound home kills to go up 20-11 before closing the set out 25-22 to tie the match at two sets apiece.
Oct. 15 Roundup
The Nation Ford boys’ volleyball team fell to Indian Land 3-2 (17-25, 25-20, 21-25, 25-21, 11-15) to finish the regular season at 18-14 overall and Region 3-4A at 8-2. Nation Ford finished second in the region and will open the playoffs next week with a home match against an opponent to be determined.
The Nation Ford girls’ volleyball team finished the regular season with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-19, 25-13) sweep of Indian Land to improve to 27-4 overall and finish Region 3-4A with a perfect 14-0 record. Nation Ford will most likely have a bye in the first round of the playoffs which start next week.
The Catawba Ridge girls’ tennis team beat Clover 6-0 to finish Region 3-4A with a 10-0 record. Winning for the Copperheads was Abby Russell 6-0, 6-2; Elaina Beilstein 6-0, 6-0; Gracyn Root 6-0,6-1; Gigi Miller 6-0, 6-2; Jane Rohrmeier 6-0, 6-4; and in doubles Kaitlyn Wood and Lucy Baines 6-0, 6-0. The Copperheads open the playoffs next week at home against an opponent to be determined.
Late Wednesday, the Fort Mill girls’ tennis team beat Northwestern 6-0 to finish the regular season at 12-2 overall and 8-2 in Region 2-5A. Winning for the Jackets was Abhi NallaReddy 6-0, 6-0; Molly Goodson 6-0, 6-1; Kendall McCarty 6-0, 6-2; Avalon Stevens 6-0, 6-1; Siona Soman 6-0, 6-0; and in doubles Ellie Corbett and Evie Dyer 6-0, 6-1. Fort Mill opens the playoffs next week at home against an opponent to be determined.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
