North Duplin libero Marissa Bernal and teammate M’Chelle Jaco collide on a serve-receive during fifth-set action Wednesday evening against James Kenan. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
James Kenan’s Y’Anni Rivers reacts after recording a solo block Wednesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
CALYPSO — Victories against Duplin County volleyball opponents have been a rare commodity for James Kenan since 2007.
In fact, the Tigers have triumphed on just 12 occasions in a combined 84 attempts against North Duplin, East Duplin and Wallace-Rose Hill.
Correction.
Make that 13.
James Kenan fended off five match points and pulled off an improbable comeback Wednesday evening. Jazmine Lopez’s service ace secured a 14-25, 25-14, 18-25, 25-19, 17-15 conquest of North Duplin.
“When we were down 14-11 [in the fifth], I saw they were frustrated and called a timeout … told them to take a deep breath,” second-year Tigers head coach Katina Farrior said. “We talked about what was going wrong, the girls put their input in [the conversation] and they fixed it.
“I told them I’ve seen teams come up with one point and the game might be over. But they wanted to fight … wanted to win.”
North Duplin trailed 11-8 in the fifth.
A ball-handling error by the Tigers provided a sideout, which led to a 6-0 run. Ady Spence served an ace. Abigeal Norris Brown fisted ball over the net off Iala Overton’s dig and assist.
Lilly Fulghum’s off-speed dump off Marissa Bernal’s dig pushed the Rebels ahead, 12-11. A ball-handling error and Ady Spence’s service ace gave North Duplin set and match point at 14-11.
A serve error put the Tigers in command. Consecutive off-speed kills from Sloan tied the set at 14-14. Y’anni Rivers’ kill put Kenan in front 15-14.
North Duplin regained possession on a service error. Sloan’s solo block against Tateyawna Faison and Lopez’s ace sealed the outcome. The Tigers ended a 14-match skid against the Rebels.
“James Kenan has improved a whole lot and you have to give it to them,” North Duplin head coach Heather Best said. “We made some costly mistakes at the wrong time.”
The ebb-and-flow affair featured a unique dynamic.
Neither team’s setter could create a consistent offensive attack. The Rebels and Tigers traded off-speed shots that stretched their respective defenses.
The strategy disrupted each teams’ offensive rhythm. The long-time county rivals managed to touch balls, but more often than not watched them either sail into the stands or land in the net.
Nearly two-thirds of the 197 points scored in the five-set affair were a mixture of unforced miscues – ball-handling mistakes, two-hit violations, net serves, etc.
“We misread several of those balls,” Best said. “It’s something where we’re going to go back to the drawing board, tweak some things. It’s the beginning of the season and we’re still trying to iron some things out. There’s no finger-pointing here.
“We didn’t play to our potential, didn’t play our game. I feel we beat ourselves in some scenarios and situations.”
The Tigers are 2-1 after playing three former Carolina 1A foes in an eight-day span. They’ll see the Rebels again Aug. 29 in Warsaw – five days before their East Central 2A opener Sept. 3 at East Duplin.
“They know North Duplin is a [good] volleyball team,” Farrior said. “Just taking that win will bring our confidence up one hundred percent. Their confidence is soaring.”
North Duplin (1-2) entertains East Duplin today.
You may reach sports writer Rudy Coggins at prepswriter2@gmail.com or call/text 919-709-9257.
