Pioneers sweep Patriots, top HHS

By Steve Behr

sports@wataugademocrat.com

Watauga’s volleyball team not only is trying to win the Northwestern 4-A Conference, but to be good enough to advance deep in the 4-A state playoffs.

That is why coach Kim Pryor scheduled games like Hickory, which pushed Watauga before falling 3-2 to the Pioneers in a non-conference match Wednesday. Just one day earlier, Watauga swept Freedom 3-0, winning 25-12, 25-15, 25-17.

The Pioneers (10-1, 4-0 NWC) had little trouble with the Patriots, cruising to victories in each game in convincing fashion. Even in Freedom’s closest game with the Pioneers, game three, the Patriots fell behind 22-13 before closing the gap to 24-17. Kelly Cherry-Leigh put the final touch on Freedom with a kill to win the game.

Cherry-Leigh had eight kills and three more taps that went for points against Freedom. She also had a block and an ace against the Patriots.

Watauga setter Chandler Butler added 21 assists, four serving aces and 11 digs defensively.

“They were really determined to keep Freedom’s scoring down,” Pryor said. “We have been winning in three games, but we’ve been winning 25-21, allowing opponents up in the 20s. We want to try to dominate matches, instead. The good thing was we dominated it with serves, scrappy play — Kelly had a lot of kills for us. We played well as a team and pulled together.”

The Pioneers have not lost a game in NWC play and, until Wednesday, had lost just one set — except for their loss to North Surry— to an non-conference opponent.

Watauga goes back into conference play Thursday against McDowell.

“The goal, of course, is to win the conference,” Pryor said. “It’s very hard to win all of your conferences matches, especially since we will be on the road with East Burke and A.C. Reynolds. They’re strong teams and we have to be ready and not get overconfident.