By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
JAMESVILLE — Elizabeth Ange did everything she could to extend her high school volleyball career, but the senior saw it come to a close Saturday evening. The Perquimans Pirates, the No. 3 seed out of the Albemarle Conference, knocked off the Tideland Conference-champion Jamesville Bullets in five games, 25-19, 15-25, 25-20, 22-25, 15-11, in the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1A state playoffs.
Jamesville coach Carrie Jones was sorry to see Ange play her final prep volleyball match.
Ange left everything she had on the court, finishing with 16 kills to lead the Bullets (16-3). Holly Knott, who played a superb match for Jamesville, said the Bullets will miss Ange next year.
The Pirates (13-9), led at the net by the lanky Quinyotta Pettaway, advanced to the second round. Perquimans will play at Southside, a 3-0 winner over West Columbus, Tuesday evening.
Pettaway got the Pirates off on the right foot to start the fifth game, drilling three kills for an early 3-1 advantage.
A kill by Ange tied the game at 3, the first of six ties in the game. A tip by Haley Bowen evened the game at 7-apiece, while an Ange kill a short time later gave the Bullets a 9-7 lead.
The Pirates regrouped and scored the next five points to go up 12-9. A gorgeous dig by Knott led to an Ange kill that stopped the Perquimans rally, and pulled Jamesville within 12-10. However, the Bullets couldn’t gain the momentum as the Pirates were able to pull away.
Jamesville jumped out to an 11-4 lead on the strength of seven consecutive service points by Knott in the first game. Perquimans rallied and used an 11-1 run to gain control, leading to the 25-19 win.
Becky Martin, Jordan Copeland, Katie Copeland, Caitlin Sawyer and Hannah White all made key plays to spearhead the charge.
Ange took over in the second game, dominating the net with five kills to help Jamesville tie the match with the 25-15 win. Knott served up the final four points of the game, which included a pair of aces.
Perquimans built a big lead in the third game, then withstood a furious Jamesville rally to post the 25-20 win.
Corey Ange and Peri Ange came up big at the serve line while Bowen and Paige Lilley played well at the net in the fourth game. Corey Ange had the hottest hand in serving, rattling off seven straight points for the Bullets to give them a 13-8 lead. Perquimans tried to rally, but Elizabeth Ange’s wallop capped the game, 25-22, forcing the decisive fifth game.
Knott, who said she’s hoping to step into a leadership role next year, noted that her team could have played better.
With five of the six starters returning next year, Jones believes the Bullets have a bright future.