North Duplin’s Abigeal Norris Brown (13) goes up to block an off-speed shot by Spring Creeks’ Grady Miteu, which landed in the net. Defending for the Rebels are Lilly Fulghum (7) and Melany Sanchez (12). At right, Spring Creek senior Sarah Hess covers the play. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
SEVEN SPRINGS — “Eva, you’re supposed to be out here!” shouted a teammate.
Quintanilla glanced at the clock and continued to fill her water bottle. Two quick sips later, she stepped onto the volleyball court and wiped her mouth with her T-shirt.
“We got this,” Quintanilla told her North Duplin teammates. “Play hard. Don’t let up.”
The Rebels didn’t.
Quintanilla delivered seven kills during a dominant 25-9, 25-8, 25-14 conquest of Spring Creek on Tuesday evening. It was the season-opening match for both teams.
Senior setter Lilly Fulghum doled out 10 assists and served seven aces for North Duplin, which claimed its ninth consecutive victory over its former Carolina 1A Conference.
“Seeing as how we couldn’t play our scrimmage [Saturday], I didn’t know how they were going to play because you know that playing and practicing are different,” Rebels head coach Heather Best said. “At practice, they’ve done well with scrimmaging against each other, so they know what each other is going to do.
“When you’ve got someone like [the Gators’] Heather [Alexander] in the middle, she’s dangerous right there. We worked on our covers against her.”
The 6-foot-2 Alexander never factored into the outcome.
Spring Creek struggled in its serve-receive formation and couldn’t generate a consistent attack throughout the three-set affair. Errant passes, lack of communication and lack of movement created numerous unforced errors.
North Duplin also won the “hustle” points.
The Rebels either got a finger, wrist or arm on nearly every loose ball, which further frustrated the Gators. Best’s team racked up 41 digs as a team, including 18 by libero Marissa Bernal.
“They out-hustled us,” second-year SC head coach Chad Kirby said. “Some balls you wouldn’t even thought they would get they were getting because of their hustle. Our girls were flat-footed, they were on their heels.
“We couldn’t set up our offense … couldn’t pass. They didn’t respond to anything. They didn’t move their feet, no hustle, no energy.”
North Duplin served 19 aces as a team.
The strong performance at the line allowed the Rebels to build early, multiple-point leads in each set.
“Serving is the only time in the game where it’s just you, the ball and the other team … no one else is playing a role in that,” Best said. “We’ve practiced a lot on serving under pressure and they came through today. If they have fun practicing it, then when they play, it’s going to be a lot easier.”
Unlike the first two sets, Spring Creek trimmed a sizable deficit into a workable margin in the final set. Alexander’s off-speed shot over Fulghum, two attack errors and a service ace from Angie Billareal closed a 7-1 gap to 8-6.
North Duplin responded with a 9-1 run.
Quintanilla warmed up on the left-side pin. Bernal, M’Chelle Jaco and Ady Spence covered the back line like a blanket defensively. Their efforts allowed Fulghum, middle hitter Tateyawna Faison and Abigeal Norris Brown to provide some offense as well.
The Rebels finished with 22 kills.
“I’ve got some players, it doesn’t matter where they are [on the court], they’re going to lay out for the ball because they don’t want to see anything fall,” Best said. “I’m just very pleased and very happy [with today].”
North Duplin returns home Thursday to face East Central 2A powerhouse East Duplin. Spring Creek entertains Hobbton today.
You may reach sports writer Rudy Coggins at prepswriter2@gmail.com or call/text 919-709-9257.
