WINSTON-SALEM – Carson kept its perfect volleyball season alive Saturday, sweeping Mount Tabor and Northwest Guilford in straight sets in a tri-match here.
The Cougars stopped host Mount Tabor, then Northwest, the Cougars’ closest scare a 31-29 win in their final set with the Vikings.
“The girls have been looking forward to this for weeks,” said Carson coach Kelan Rogers. “There’s probably not better volleyball being played in North Carolina today. It’s good competition.”
The teams entered Saturday’s match with combined records of 64-2. All three are ranked among the top five in the state in their classifications, according to the high school athletic website Maxpreps.com.
Carson exited the competition 26-0. Mount Tabor fell to 19-2, stopping Northwest in the day’s finale. Northwest went home with a 22-3 mark, having entered the day with but a single blemish to its record – a loss earlier in the season to Carson.
Carson senior Michaela White, who has committed to play for UNC Charlotte next fall, said the Cougars were firing on all cylinders.
“Our passing was definitely on today,” she said. “That makes it a lot easier.”
White said playing competition like Mount Tabor and Northwest helps prepare the Cougars for the caliber teams they’ll face in the playoffs. A year ago, Carson finished second in the state 3-A’s volleyball race, losing to Cardinal Gibbons in the finals.
“It’s definitely fun to play someone of their skill levels,” White said of Mount Tabor and Northwest. “It pushes us, makes us better.”
Northwest coach Melissa Joyner said a desire to improve is the reason her Vikings involve themselves in weekend tournaments with teams like Carson and Mount Tabor.
“It’s not fun to lose, but it’s good competition,” she said. “Hopefully, when we leave today, we’re going to be a little better.”