Golden Falcons net three-set sweep of Saints

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on September 3, 2014 1:50 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock still has some "cleaning" up to do, while Southern Wayne looks to apply its practice regimen to game day after the county rivals met on the volleyball court Tuesday afternoon.

Junior Alexis Bynum and senior Quanika Lofton led a balanced offense with five kills apiece in the Golden Falcons 25-7, 25-12, 25-19 triumph over the Saints. Aycock improved to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference play this season.

It was Southern Wayne's league opener.

"I thought we played pretty well, we still have some things to clean up (with) 17 free balls and nine missed serves," CBA head coach Emily Burke said. "Those are things that can't happen against teams like Eastern Wayne, Conley, Rose (and) New Bern. We have to scale those numbers down, but I realize serves are going to be missed here and there.

"Nine is unacceptable in three sets."

Aycock committed 22 total errors in the three-set affair.

The Saints served seven aces, but couldn't overcome 28 errors -- including 15 on attack attempts. Sophomore middle hitter Macayla Tyndall logged a team-high three kills.

"I have an athletic team," second-year SW head coach Stephanie Beverly said. "They know how to play volleyball, know where to be in practice (and) they're phenomenal ... a different team. There's something about a game, that pressure and if something doesn't go just right, they just fall apart.

"We're trying to figure it out."

Freshman Arlanda Faulkner closed out the opening set with a solo block against Saints' right-side hitter Amone Brown, who is one of two seniors on the team. An unforced error capped the second set.

The teams traded four ties and three lead changes during the early stages of the third set. Abby Shenk served back-to-back aces to break a 7-7 tie and put the Golden Falcons ahead for good.

Aycock pulled away and grabbed its biggest advantage, 24-16, on Allie Phillips' ace. Southern Wayne fended off three match points before Courtney Warner, a two-time state champion in outdoor track, sealed the outcome with a kill off of an overpass at the net.

"I feel like we had intensity, but I don't know if we had our 'A' game concerning the serves and free balls," Burke said. "We could have attacked more from the front line and gotten a few more touches at the net, but we brought our intensity."