By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
CHOCOWINITY — With Four Rivers giant Perquimans lurking around the corner, the Southside volleyball team didn’t exactly get the solid tune up game it wanted before the big match. However, the Seahawks did pull off a sweep of Plymouth, winning 25-7, 25-23, 25-21.
The predominantly solid Southside squad got much more of a fight then it anticipated from the fellow Four Rivers Conference foe Vikings who have struggle in recent years.
On Tuesday, Plymouth came to Chocowinity with its “A” game in tow, and came dangerously close to pulling off an upset over the Seahawks (12-6, 5-5).
Southside jumped out to a tremendous start, as Kristen Ayers led her team on a 19-0 run en rout to a 25-7 game one victory.
Complacency set in, in the second match as Plymouth, led by Brooke Gurganus, Megan Kelly and Kristy Gibson hung with Southside point-for-point.
The Vikings worked hard and capitalized on Seahawks errors to tie the game at 22, but the Southside got back on track and legged out a 25-23 win.
In the third game, it was Plymouth that jumped out of the gate on fire and raced to a 14-6 lead. Errors killed Southside as it struggled to serve and set the ball.
As the match went on, the Seahawks slowly regained their focus. Down 20-15, Southside ripped off a 10-6 run that was highlighted by the serving of Caitlin Bogart. The senior closed out the match with five straight aces to complete the sweep.
“The first match we started off great,” Southside coach Elizabeth Pruden said. “Kristen Ayers had 19 points in the first game. Then the second game came around and we started playing down to our opponent instead of playing our game.”
Not exactly pleased with the play of her team, Pruden decided to inject new life into the club by playing some of her younger players.
“I made some adjustments and pulled some freshman up from JV,” Pruden said. “I figured if my seniors and juniors where playing at 25 percent, then I might as well play a freshman who is going to give 100 percent.”
Freshman Corey Watford, Samantha Lore, Sandra Sparks and junior Quaneika Thomas got extended minutes playing for the varsity team, and Pruden said she was happy with their effort.
“They did good, they played pretty much the way I expected them to play,” Pruden said.
Pruden and the Seahawks will get in one more day of practice before they host Perquimans on Thursday.