Staff report

MOUNT ULLA – West Rowan’s volleyball team advanced in the 3A state playoffs on Tuesday.

The second-seeded Falcons (23-3) handled 18th-seeded Hickory 25-11, 25-18 and 25-21.

“They had an outside hitter get hot in that third set, but that first set was the best team volleyball we’ve played in a month,” West coach Jan Dowling said. “The girls realize they took their foot off the gas some late in the year.”

Emma Clarke led the Falcons with 10 kills and 13 digs.

Anna Grace Blackledge had nine kills and three aces. Madelyn VonCanon had seven kills and 13 digs. Ashlee Ennis had six kills, 18 digs and 26 assists. Ava Gusler had a big game with nine digs and three aces. Brooke Kennerly had seven digs. Maia Gaeta had four kills.

That third set we didn’t play bad, but they had an outside hitter get hot and she scored five points in a row,” Dowling said.

Hickory (11-14) was the fifth-place team in the Western Foothills Conference. West will play the second-place team from that league, the Fred T. Foard Tigers from Newton, on Thursday at West at 6 p.m.

Tenth-seeded Foard (20-7) swept seventh-seeded Oak Grove on Tuesday.

West is the last Rowan County public school in the volleyball playoffs.

Seeded 13th, East Rowan lost 25-15, 25-18 and 25-23 at fourth-seeded North Henderson on Tuesday.

East finished 20-6, its best season in a long time. North Henderson is 24-3.

 

TENNIS

Salisbury’s No. 1 singles player Millie Wymbs staged an epic comeback, and the Hornets were able to beat Shelby 5-1 without going to doubles.

“Very tough match that Millie came back in and that was big for us,” Salisbury coach Milton Griffith said. “Anything can happen if you go to doubles.”

Wymbs lost the first set 6-1, but came back to win the second 7-5 against Anna Schweppe. Wymbs won a marathon, third-set tiebreaker 13-11.

Shelby got its win at No. 2 singles where Caroline Curtis topped Abbey Lawson in a hard-fought match, 6-4, 6-4. It was the first singles loss of the season for Lawson.

Salisbury advanced five players (Kate Burton and two doubles teams) to the individual state championships, while Shelby didn’t advance any. But the Lions, who had no seniors in their lineup, have good players.

“Shelby’s 1 and 2 players are very good,” Griffith said. “They didn’t make it to state, but that just shows how tough their regional was.”

At 3 through 6, the Hornets won, as they have all season. Burton breezed 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 singles.

“She’s playing super-well right now,” Griffith said. “All our girls had to play well to win.”

Lucy Barr was a 6-1, 6-1 winner at No. 4.

At No. 5, Cora Wymbs won 6-0, 6-1.

Meredith Williams won 6-4, 6-1 at No. 6.

Shelby finished 12-3.

The next action for the Hornets will be in the individual state championships this weekend at Ting Park in Holly Springs. Griffith is one of the tournament directors.

Besides Burton, the Wymbs sisters will play as a double team in Holly Springs, while Lawson will team with Barr.

Salisbury (17-0) will host fifth-seeded East Surry (15-1) next Monday when the dual team playoff resume with quarterfinal matches.

East Surry beat Forbush 5-1 in the second round.

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Tenth-seeded Carson (13-3) ended a strong season with a 6-0 second-round loss at second-seeded Franklin (16-0).

Allie Martin played the closest match, losing 6-4, 6-3 at No. 2 singles.

Kayla Cook lost 6-1, 7-5 at No. 4.

Bree Whittington, Landyn Kesler, Brenna Smith and Valerie Webster were the other seeds for the Cougars.