CUMMING — Region 7-AAA’s top three teams got together Tuesday, with host West Forsyth making a statement that it needs to be taken seriously.
Class AAA’s seventh-ranked Lady Wolverines (20-5-1 overall, 7-0 Region 7-AAA) emerged alone in first place, after sweeping matches from Flowery Branch (9-11, 5-2) and North Hall (17-5-2, 5-2).
North Hall defeated Flowery Branch in a three-game affair to get a split on the night.
“We started out pretty slow. I think the girls were a little bit tight (at first),” Lady Wolverines coach Jim Orr said.
The first game between West Forsyth and Flowery Branch was a nip-and-tuck affair most of the way, with the Lady Falcons leading 16-15 after 31 points.
West Forsyth won nine of the next ten points from there to take control and win the game 25-18. The second game ended in the same score, with the Lady Wolverines closing out by winning the last four points.
“They righted the ship, they did a nice job getting themselves back under control, playing within themselves, and I was real happy with the way they finished the first match off,” Orr said of his players.
West Forsyth defeated North Hall in two games (25-19, 25-12) later in the night, but Orr was impressed with the hustle and tenacity of the Lady Trojans.
“North Hall is North Hall. You can’t ever rest with them,” he said.
“That one play they had where (a Lady Trojan defender) played the ball off the back wall over there against the bleachers, that’s just typical of the way they play, and I like playing teams like that, because they just never give us a chance to rest and it keeps us in the game.”
Orr credited junior Megan Pepe for a good night serving and running the offense, as well as seniors Daniella Cavallo and Heidi Bonilla for some key defensive plays.
He said he’s happy to be in first place, but pointed out that his team isn’t assured of anything at this point.
“You just never know, and I’ve been around this thing long enough to know that I just don’t take things for granted. One bout of flu or illness and the wheels fall off the wagon,” Orr said.
“I think we’re starting to get a little more respect around the state.
“They ranked us seventh in the state this last week (in the gasports.com coaches poll) and that was kind of a nice pat on the back for all the hard work you put in (but) when you get that ranking, the higher you climb, the more your butts exposed.”
North Hall coach Emi Hughes was pleased with the effort her team showed in splitting its two matches.
“We were resilient, and we persevered. That Flowery Branch game, we got down one game and that’s usually when we kind of get flat, and they stayed intense and played very good volleyball,” she said.
The Lady Falcons took a tight first game (25-22) in the match, but the Trojans bounced back with 25-14 and 25-18 wins to close it out.
Hughes gave credit to junior setter Kathryn Bell (22 assists, seven kills, three digs, three aces and a seven-point service run) for going on a long run of winning serve points against the Falcons, and senior hitter Evann Rowland (12 kills. 16 digs, seven aces, one block) for some solid kills on offense.
North Hall was also led by Megan Cox with seven digs and Lauren Gregory with eight kills.
“They gutted it out (and finished every play). That’s the one thing I ask ... whether we’re beating a team or losing, that we play
every point hard, and I can’t ask for much more than that,” Hughes said.
Despite the loss to West Forsyth, Hughes said she feels good about her team’s chances in the region, with the only other loss for North Hall coming to defending Region 7-AAA champion Creekview.
“We’re right at the top. I have no doubt that we will end up very close to the top if not at the top. I think we can compete. It’s just any given night, any of these teams can win,” she said.