After dropping the first set, the Fort Mill boys’ volleyball team rallied to pick up a win over the Northwestern Trojans Wednesday.
Fort Mill won 3-1 (19-25, 25-15, 25-14, 25-19) to improve to 2-2 overall on the season. The win was their first ever home win in their first home match.
In the first set, Northwestern got off to a good start and despite Fort Mill eventually tying the set, the Jackets weren’t able to get the win. Northwestern jumped out to a 9-4 lead when Fort Mill took a time out. The Jackets came out of the time out and started chipping away at the Trojans and tied the set at 17. Northwestern again moved ahead this time without relinquishing the lead to win the opening set.
Fort Mill head coach Tamisha Martin told her team to stay on the attack after that first set.
“That was the biggest thing was to stay aggressive,” she said. “Every game we have improved. We know what to do. We just need the reps.”
The talk helped because Fort Mill came out on the attack and went up 7-2 in the second set forcing the Trojans to take a pause and regroup. Fort Mill held their lead out of a time out and continued to pull away despite Northwestern closing the gap at 14-10. Fort Mill was able to hold serve and pushed their lead to 23-13 to close the set out and tie the match.
The third set was just as much Fort Mill as again they jumped out to a good start going up 11-1. Northwestern tried to make several runs, but they weren’t able to really get close enough to threaten the Jackets as they took a 2-1 set lead.
It was the Trojans with the hot start in the fourth set jumping out to a 5-1 lead, however, they weren’t able to hold that momentum and Fort Mill rallied to tie it at six and then pulled ahead 9-6. Fort Mill never trailed again as they were able to go up 16-8.
The Trojans forced Fort Mill into a time out scoring four consecutive points to make it 16-12. Fort Mill came out of the time out and again pulled away to win the set and get the win.
The Jackets will next play on the road Sept. 5 at Rock Hill High.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
