Volleyball triple dips this week

The Lady Flames Volleyball Team improved their winning streak to seven consecutive wins after a dominating week of three conference wins.

The Flames hosted the High Point Panthers Tuesday in an even matchup.  Both teams had a 7-1 record entering the match.  The Flames took the match, winning 3-1.

“We clicked together great tonight,” sophomore Hannah Anderson said. “Fighting on both sides of the ball and having good energy fueled us.”

Anderson had an attack percentage of .562 against High Point, leading the Lady Flames.

“This was a big boost for our team,” Anderson said. “We knew we could beat them we just had to go do it.”

Both of High Point’s conference losses have come at the hands of the Lady Flames.

After the big win against High Point, the Lady Flames hosted Presbyterian College Friday. The Flames took the match 3-0.

“The first set of the game was a big emphasis,” coach Shane Pinder said. “We played our game and didn’t force ourselves to play theirs.”

After being down in the first set, the Lady Flames battled back to have complete control of the last three sets.

“Getting them out of their rhythm was big,” Pinder said. “I’m proud of the way we played good defense as well as our passing at the net.”

Freshman Lillie Happel had a stand-out performance against Presbyterian with a career-high five blocks, as well as four aces.

The Lady Flames closed out the successful weekend by taking on conference rival Gardner-Webb Saturday. Their momentum carried them to a 3-0 win en route to a record serving night, with six girls having multiple aces.

“It is a big week with our three conference games,” Pinder said. “If we play how we practice and come out on the winning side in tough situations in sets, we will be hard to beat.”

“I am telling our team that we are playing for November,” Pinder said. “(It was a ) great week of games but we see the big picture and are preparing for when it really counts.”

Pinder’s team is looking forward to the November post-season as well.

“One game attitude is the approach we’ve had all year,” Anderson said. “Heading into the final stretch here you can’t help but look at the Big South Quarterfinals coming up.”

The Flames will continue road play against Charleston Southern on Oct. 29.

HORNEFFER is a sports reporter.