Tigers to take on Stallions|Eight teams remain in 1-A East

Published 1:45 am Thursday, October 29, 2009

By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor

The Williamston Tigers are into the third round of the state volleyball playoffs for the third straight year.
The Tigers (19-3), the second seed from the Four Rivers Conference, play host to the Southwest Onslow Stallions (10-8), the second seed from the Coastal Plains Conference, in today’s third round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A state playoffs.
The match begins at 6 p.m.
Both teams had to win five-game thrillers to get to this point.
After Williamston breezed to a 25-16, 25-8, 25-19 sweep of Pamlico in the first round, the Tigers found the going much tougher in their second-round game at Jamesville. The Bullets took the first two games, before the Tigers rallied for the 23-25, 18-25, 25-20, 25-12, 15-4 road win.
Seniors Katie Paschal and Erin Bowen combined for 37 kills in the victory. Senior Heather Jackson continuously provided solid sets for the hard-smashing duo.
Meanwhile, Harris Shepherd played her customary solid all-around game while Jesse Ann Rogers and Rachel Baker, both freshman, came up with some clutch serving.
“That’s big for us,” Williamston coach Herbie Rogers said of his freshmen’s serving abilities. “We need that.”
The Stallions needed five games to get past Manteo in the first round. Monisha Burney had 22 kills and Kristin Segebarth 15 for the Stallions in the victory.
Things were much easier in the second round, as SW Onslow coasted to a 25-22, 25-16, 25-13 sweep of Gates County, the Tar-Roanoke Conference champions. Burney and Segebarth led the way again with 14 and 13 kills, respectively.
The winner faces the survivor between Perquimans (19-1), the Four Rivers Conference champions, and Dixon (13-4), the Coastal Plains Conference champions, in Saturday’s fourth round. Perquimans swept Northampton-East and Camden in the first two rounds. Dixon beat Northside in four games in the first round and then swept SE Halifax in the second.
If Williamston wins tonight, the Tigers will be on the road regardless of who wins between Perquimans and Dixon.
The Tigers are looking to reach at least the Final Four for the third time, and the first since 2004. Williamston’s previous Final Four appearance came in 2001.
In the other 1-A East matches, Pender (25-2) takes on Rosewood (15-9) while Raleigh Charter (15-3) faces Princeton (18-5).