Spartans take a serve of their own trying to cut down the deficit in the fifth set.
Quick timeout for the Spartans.
Saints’ No. 4 Emma Kornegay locked in on a serve for the Saints.
Seniors Night for the Saints as Seniors No. 3 Morgan Brimberry, No. 8 Mylee Wiggs, No. 9 Akeariana Jones, and Lea Carachure take their last game together.
DUDLEY – On an emotional Senior Night, the Southern Wayne Saints battled the Smithfield-Selma Spartans in a hard-fought five-set match. Both teams showed grit, resilience, and determination, but in the end, the Saints came out on top, winning 3 sets to 2.
Set 1: Spartans Strike Late
The opening set set the tone for the night with both teams trading points early. The Saints struck first, but the Spartans quickly tied it up. From there, neither side could pull away, tying multiple times throughout the set. The Spartans managed to edge out the Saints down the stretch, taking Set 1 by a narrow margin, 25–23. 1-0 Spartans up one set.
Set 2: Saints Answer Back
The Saints came out strong in the second set, jumping to an early lead. Although the Spartans tied it up midway through, the Saints regained momentum thanks to strong hitting from No. 8 Mylee Wiggs and No. 5 Addison McPhail. The back-and-forth continued, leading to a dramatic finish. With the score tied at 24–24, the Saints held firm, and No. 8 Mylee Wiggs delivered the final blow to secure a 27–25 win. The Sets are even at 1–1.
Set 3: Saints Dominate
With the crowd behind them, the Saints took control in the third set. Strong offensive play, highlighted by No. 8 Mylee Wiggs, fueled a commanding lead. The Spartans tried to rally late, but the Saints stayed in rhythm, finishing the set 25–18. Southern Wayne now led the Sets 2–1.
Set 4: Spartans Respond
The fourth set mirrored the intensity of the earlier ones, with both teams battling point for point. The Spartans managed to pull ahead, keeping the Saints at bay despite strong defensive plays from No. 11 Lea Carachure, No. 5 Addison McPhail, No. 6 Morgan Kornegay, and No. 8 Mylee Wiggs. Capitalizing on errors from Southern Wayne, Smithfield-Selma closed out the set 25–19, forcing a decisive fifth set. The Spartans even up the Sets 2-2.
Set 5: Saints Seal the Victory
With the match on the line, both teams came out fighting. The Saints gained the early advantage, but the Spartans quickly tied it. Strong serving and key plays by No. 3 Morgan Brimberry gave Southern Wayne the momentum, and they stretched their lead to 13–9 after a timeout. The Saints never looked back, clinching the final set 15–10 to secure the victory.
Final Score: Southern Wayne Saints 3 – Smithfield-Selma Spartans 2
On Senior Night, the Saints showed resilience and determination, rallying from tough moments to claim a memorable win in front of their home crowd.
Post Game Interview
After the match, I caught up with Coach Morgan, who reflected on her team’s performance during an important Senior Night showdown. “The team really came out playing,” she said. “We talked about winning this one for the seniors, and we executed very well offensively and defensively. These five sets showed that we can do anything with hard work. We showed so much promise throughout the game, and I told the girls, ‘Let’s get it done today and have fun no matter the outcome.’”
Coach Morgan also highlighted the balance of youth and leadership on the roster. “Even though we are a young team with only four seniors, we are growing and getting that experience,” she explained. “The upcoming players are learning what we can do when we execute at a high level.”
Next up for the Southern Wayne Saints is a conference matchup against Fike on October 2. Thank you to Coach Morgan for sharing her thoughts, and congratulations to the Southern Wayne Saints volleyball team on a great win.
