The Catawba Ridge boys’ volleyball team swept Fort Mill in a highly competitive match despite the outcome.
Catawba Ridge beat Fort Mill 3-0 (27-25, 25-20, 25-17) rallying in every set to get the wins. The Copperheads improve to 9-4-1 overall on the season with the win, while Fort Mill drops to 3-4.
“We try to do game like practices,” said Catawba Ridge head coach Ross Lisee. “They are prepared. I try to prep them with what potentially could be.”
Lisee said he is worried that as the competition gets tougher come playoff time, Catawba Ridge wouldn’t be as successful at rallying when they need too.
“Against teams like this, you can’t get down 7-1,” he said. “This moment was big for us. They knew who was on the other side of the net.”
Fort Mill opened the first set going up 6-0 before the Copperheads took a time out early. Catawba Ridge came out of the time out and went on a run to tie the set at 7-7. Both teams tried to make a move, but Fort Mill was able to again pick up a little run going up 17-12, before the Copperheads again rallied to tie it at 20-20.
Fort Mill would take both time outs within the next seven points as Catawba Ridge would jump ahead to get the two-point win.
The Jackets again started strong in the second set and went up 8-5, before Catawba Ridge chipped away to tie the set at 14. The Copperheads would pull ahead 22-19 forcing Fort Mill to take a time out to regroup, but things didn’t work out as well as Catawba Ridge came out of the time out and pulled away to go up 2-0 in the match.
The third set was the closest of the three and started out with the two teams trading the first six points to make it 3-3. Fort Mill then scored the next four points and went up 7-3 before jumping ahead at 14-10. But as they had previously done, the Copperheads then fought back to tie the set at 14 and pulled ahead at 19-16.
Fort Mill would use both time outs in the set, but couldn’t ever rally to catch the Copperheads.
“Our chemistry was off,” said Fort Mill head coach Tamisha Martin. “We had to start a new rotation with limited practice together. It was a lot of adjustments. I am proud of their fight.”
Catawba Ridge and Fort Mill will both head to participate in a tournament at Byrnes High School this weekend.
Sept. 7 Roundup
The Catawba Ridge girls’ volleyball team beat York on the road 3-1 (20-25, 25-19, 31-29, 25-14) to improve to 2-0 in Region 3-4A play and 4-5 overall on the season.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
