The Spring Creek volleyball team lost to Goldsboro High School in a match earlier this week. (Kareem Brown photos)
The Spring Creek volleyball team lost to Goldsboro High School in a match earlier this week. (Kareem Brown photos)
The Spring Creek volleyball team lost to Goldsboro High School in a match earlier this week. (Kareem Brown photos)
GOLDSBORO — The Spring Creek Gators faced off against the Goldsboro Cougars in a competitive volleyball matchup, but despite their strong efforts, the Cougars came out on top, winning all three sets to claim a 3–0 victory.
Set 1
The Gators struck first, taking an early 1–0 lead and extending it with a score from No. 5 Keity Torres. The Cougars quickly answered, tying the game at 2–2 before taking a brief lead. The Gators fought back to reclaim control at 4–3, setting the tone for a competitive opening set.
The Cougars began to find their rhythm midway through, pulling ahead by two points behind strong play from No. 15 Gigi Nelson. The Gators responded with a two-point rally, including a key play from No. 1 Sophia Thompson to even the score at 8–8.
Momentum swung back and forth until the Cougars took charge with big strikes from No. 13 Aziyah Boyer and No. 11 Amiyah Ford, pushing the score to 9–11 in their favor. Their consistent play extended the lead to four points, forcing a Gators timeout at 11–15.
Despite the Gators’ efforts to close the gap highlighted by resilient plays and a score from No. 18 Anna Westbrook the Cougars maintained control. A few communication errors by Spring Creek allowed Goldsboro to capitalize and secure the first set, 25–19.
Set 2
The Gators opened strong once again, with No. 8 making a big block for the first point. The Cougars, however, responded quickly, tying the game and taking the lead at 4–3. A few early mistakes by the Gators helped the Cougars build momentum and extend their lead to 7–4.
Spring Creek called a timeout trailing 6–11, hoping to regroup. Although No. 1 Sophia Thompson’s defensive efforts stood out, Goldsboro continued to apply pressure. No. 8 Gradie Miteu of the Gators came through with another big block, cutting the deficit to 9–17, followed by a strong save from No. 4 Angela Billarreal to make it 10–17.
Despite the push, the Cougars’ consistent attack proved too much for them. A series of Gator miscues gave Goldsboro four more points, and though Spring Creek managed to add one late score, the Cougars closed out the set 25–12, going up two sets to none.
Set 3
Determined to stay alive, the Gators took the first point of the third set. The teams traded scores early on, with Spring Creek briefly taking a two-point lead and building momentum. However, the Cougars remained composed, tying it up at 10–10 and then taking a slim 11–10 advantage.
After a quick timeout, Goldsboro surged ahead, extending their lead to 15–11 and later to 18–11, fueled by strong offensive execution. The Gators continued to fight, adding points where they could, but small errors made it difficult to close the gap.
Down 12–22, Spring Creek added another point to stay alive, but the Cougars maintained control. They reached match point at 24–13 and sealed the win shortly after, taking the third set 25–14.
Final Score: Goldsboro Cougars 3, Spring Creek Gators 0
The Gators showed resilience throughout the match, keeping pace early in each set, but the Cougars’ steady play and strong execution ultimately carried them to victory.
Post interview
Coach Chad Kirby said the players started strong and confident but struggled to maintain that same energy throughout the game, something crucial for success. “We have to keep our confidence high if we want to win these games,” Kirby emphasized. Next up for the Spring Creek Gators is a matchup against Union on Oct. 7.
