North Duplin head volleyball coach Heather Best (right), talks with setter Lilly Fulghum (middle) and outside hitter Eva Quintanilla (left) during a recent match. The Rebels defeated Lejeune in four sets Tuesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
CAMP LEJEUNE — North Duplin cranked out 23 kills as a team during its 25-22, 14-25, 25-16, 25-23 triumph over Lejeune in non-conference volleyball play Tuesday evening.
Senior Tateyawna Faison emerged as the team leader in kills (seven) and total blocks (three). Frontline mate Eva Quintanilla pounded out five kills, while Maggie Brown contributed three kills.
Junior setter Lilly Fulghum dished out 18 assists, served five aces and recorded six digs defensively. Iala Overton, Abigeal Norris Brown and Marissa Bernal supplied three aces apiece.
Brown also had two blocks.
Bernal paced the defense with 19 digs and boosted her season total to 80. M’Chelle Jaco and Ady Spence each registered five digs.
The Rebels logged 45 digs as a team.
North Duplin (2-3 overall) snapped a three-game skid and continues play Thursday at county rival James Kenan. The JV match begins at 4:30 p.m.
Gators drop road loss
CLINTON — Clinton posted a .300 team hitting percentage during its 25-15, 25-12, 25-11 non-conference conquest of Spring Creek in volleyball action.
Freshman Nellie Bass delivered a 12-kill performance for the Dark Horses, who improved to 5-1 overall this season.
Senior Kailee Parrish served five aces and collected seven digs. Junior Cameron Marshburn posted a team-high 12 digs, while sophomore Jenna Jackson had seven digs.
SC statistics were not available.
The Gators (2-4 overall) travel to Union today and entertain the American Leadership Academy of Johnston County on Thursday.
Tigers take down Lakewood
SALEMBURG — Ava Jones turned in a solid all-around performance and helped lead James Kenan past Lakewood 25-18, 25-15, 25-15 in their non-conference volleyball contest.
Jones emerged as the team leader in kills (7) and service aces (6) during the three-set sweep.
Y’anna Rivers cranked out four kills, while Jourdan Joe delivered three kills. Alayjah Wright served five aces, while Shylah Sloan collected four aces.
The Tigers (2-3 overall) return home Thursday for a non-conference affair against North Duplin. The JV match begins at 4:30 p.m. inside Harmon Gymnasium.
Panthers blank Gators
SEVEN SPRINGS — East Duplin collected a second-half goal and handed former East Central 2A foe Spring Creek a 1-0 loss at “The Swamp.”
The Panthers’ Yoskar Canales scored off an assist from Richard Reyes.
Senior Gabriel Faulkner recorded four saves between the pipes for East Duplin.
Edgar Avila minded the net for Spring Creek.
The Gators (2-3-1 overall) travel to Clinton on Thursday.
You may reach sports writer Rudy Coggins at prepswriter2@gmail.com or call/text 919-709-9257.
