By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

Second in a series of Rowan volleyball reports …

LANDIS — South Rowan volleyball is Rymer-less for the first time since the fall of 2016.

Kira Rymer and cousins Anna and Leah left their mark on the program for eight straight seasons and helped make South volleyball a consistent winner. With a major boost from the Rymer family, South head coach Jenna Horne, now in her 10th year, entered the 2024 season with a tremendous 161-66 record.

South won 14 out of 16 and was league co-champion in the South Piedmont Conference along with Lake Norman Charter in 2023. Both teams finished one game ahead of West Rowan in an exciting race. The SPC is a top-heavy league that includes four Rowan schools, all with strong volleyball programs.

South lost quite a bit to graduation, not only Leah, the last of the Rymers, but Avery Welch, who was a steady force in the middle.

But South got off to an even better start than usual this season, 7-0 overall and 5-0 in the SPC.

“We’re not tall, but we’ve got scrappy girls who will get after it,” Horne said. “They’ve got a lot of drive. They really do want to win and they always expect big things from themselves and their teammates. They have fun, but they come to practice every day ready to go to work.”

Rymer and Welch are among the top 10 in the SPC in kills last season, so those are key subtractions from the roster.

Meredith Faw, a senior outside hitter who had 222 kills in 2023,  sixth in the conference, is back to lead the team, along with Campbell Withers, a junior libero who was credited with a league-leading 441 digs.

Faw is a strong server and probably will lead the team in aces as well as kills.

The other well-known veteran is Laney Beaver, who hasn’t played so far this season, but is getting close to returning from knee surgery. South uses a 6-2 rotation and likes to employ girls who can hit when they’re on the front and set when they’re on the back. Beaver, who had 126 kills, was outstanding in that dual role last season.

South has enjoyed good depth in the program for a number of years, which has meant very strong jayvee teams. Those girls get used to winning on the jayvees and it carries over when they get to the varsity.

“We’ve got a really good junior class of athletes that will be big for the varsity this year, some top-notch girls,” Horne said. “A lot of them also play basketball and softball, and they’re top 10 type people in their class academically.”

Outside hitter Avery Fisher and Meghan Eagle, who has taken on a hitter/setter role, have been impactful players who rarely leave the court. Danica Krieg plays in the middle and has led the team in blocks. Raegan Shell has done well in a setting role, while Clancy Street has contributed kills as a right side hitter.

“Avery and Meghan have been all over the place,” Horne said. “I don’t know that we’re going to have anyone with huge kill stats this season, but we’re spreading the wealth. We’re getting a lot of good things from a lot of places.”

The Raiders also are getting help from Ava Daniel and Eva Shue in the middle and from Cailynn Withers, Campbell’s twin, as a defensive specialist.