Cleveland Rams volleyball sweeps Smithfield-Selma, co-leads conference
After netting its seventh consecutive victory with a 3-0 sweep (25-17, 25-20, 25-17) over Smithfield-Selma Thursday night, the Cleveland volleyball team positioned itself right where it wanted to be heading into the last week of the conference regular season.
With a pair of games left in conference play, the Rams (16-2, 6-2) find themselves tied with Corinth Holders in first place with an elusive conference championship well within reach.
Against the Spartans (6-15, 1-7), after falling behind 4-0 in the first game, Cleveland’s Jenna Myer got the Rams on track helping to reel off the game’s next 11 points with the aide of five service aces. Cleveland would not be derailed the rest of the night.
The Spartans’ Logan Batton led her team with six kills.
They said it
“The girls have learned how to play together,” Cleveland coach Shelley Johnston said. “They’re finally getting it that they have to play with their heart and give it 100 percent every single time. Really learning to play together has helped more than anything.”
“I’m pleased with our young team that we have and that they were in each game,” said Smithfield-Selma coach Deanna Morris. “These girls have learned so much and they’re getting more consistent.”
Three who mattered
Walli Driggers, Cleveland: Driggers led a balanced Rams attack with eight kills. The senior co-captain was also a factor at the net both with her blocks and her ability to read the play and dig out attempted tips from the Spartans frontline.
Bri Gross, Cleveland: Gross led the Rams with 11 digs as she patrolled the back line. Not only was Gross able to reach many of the Spartans’ kill shot attempts but was able to find her target player up front with many of those first-touches.
Maya Anderson-Badillo, Smithfield-Selma: The sophomore setter was a calming presence for the visitors as she contributed 13 assists and six digs during the match.
By the numbers
14: Number of digs registered by Smithfield-Selma’s sophomore libero Lillian Canady.
6: Number of service aces Cleveland’s Jenna Myers supplied in the first game alone.
2: Total number of service errors committed all night long by an improving Smithfield-Selma squad.
Looking ahead
If Cleveland can get past a one-win Western Harnett team on Tuesday, the stage will be set for a huge showdown to end the conference regular season this upcoming Thursday night as the Rams will host fellow Two Rivers 3A co-leader Corinth Holders. After dropping the first game on the road to the Pirates in their first matchup, the Rams took the next three games for the 3-1 victory. Another Cleveland win over its rival would equal the team’s first ever conference title.
“We just need to play our type of game,” Johnston said. “We don’t want to regress after playing as well as we’ve been playing.”
This story was originally published October 9, 2015 at 4:21 PM with the headline "Cleveland Rams volleyball sweeps Smithfield-Selma, co-leads conference."