West Bladen’s Kimberly Dowless (left) powers the ball over a South Columbus defender during Thursday’s volleyball match.
Sonny Jones / Bladen Journal
West Bladen’s Berkleigh Guy (2, left) returns a shot against South Columbus in the junior varsity volleyball match Thursday.
Sonny Jones / Bladen Journal
BLADENBORO – Jaylyn Clark wasn’t concerned after West Bladen lost the first set against South Columbus on Thursday in a key Southeastern Conference volleyball match.
In fact, she and the rest of the Knights were happy, a theme West Bladen has used this season to earn a share of first place almost halfway through the conference season.
“I was not concerned,” said Clark, one of eight seniors on the squad. “I knew that we were going to make a good return. We were just going to be happy.”
The Knights certainly were happy at the end of the match, winning 19-25, 25-21, 25-12, 25-19. The victory set up a showdown between West Bladen (10-1, 4-0 Southeastern) and South Brunswick (8-4, 4-0 Southeastern) on Tuesday in Southport.
“It was a very important win for us,” West Bladen coach Jessica Rhodes said, “but I tell the girls every point, every set, every game, we need to play with the same intensity regardless of who we’re playing. That’s really what we’ve been focused on.”
Clark had seven kills on 11 attacks, three blocks, a service ace and dig for West Bladen.
“We’re all really happy, we all enjoy being together and we all play really good together,” Clark said.
Natalie Sykes had 21 assists, including seven that set up kills, and Greer Pope had 20 assists, including 10 that set up kills, for West Bladen. Emmy Bryant had 11 digs.
“(The girls) have super skills,” said Rhodes, who is in her first season at West Bladen after coaching at Bladenboro Middle School. “They’ve done an awesome job and just continued to grow.
“I’ve just worked with them on keeping them together, keeping them happy and keeping them focused. We’ve been down before, and I’ve told them the times that we’re down, that makes them grow, that makes them have confidence, and that makes them know that they can come back and pull themselves out.”
After dropping the first set, West Bladen built a 16-7 lead in the second set, then held off the Stallions to win 25-21. The Knights dominated the third set, winning 25-12, then were challenged late in the fourth set before winning 25-19.
Statistics for West Bladen were Kali Allen (2 aces, dig), Pope (3 aces, 2 kills, 20 assists), Makenna Thurman (5 kills), Clark (7 kills, 3 blocks, ace, dig), Bryant (11 digs, 3 assists, ace), Sykes (21 assists, ace, dig), Helaina Conklin (4 kills, ace), Shanna Lewis (kill), Tahlela Bethea (kill), Kimberly Dowless (6 kills, block).
JV: West Bladen 2, South Columbus 1
The West Bladen junior varsity team also rallied after losing the first set to beat the Stallions 22-25, 25-21, 25-16.
Leading the Knights (8-2, 3-0 Southeastern) were Kynslie Kinlaw (23 assists, 7 kills, 3 aces, dig), Berkleigh Guy (24 assists, 6 kills, 2 digs), Hailii Andrews (2 digs) Vera Valentiner (2 aces, 2 kills, dig), Amiya McCarty-Maxfield (ace, block, 3 digs), Chloe Walters (kill, 8 digs, 4 assists), Hadley Dove (2 aces, 5 digs, 2 assists), Bristol Allen (ace, 2 kills, block, assist).
Sonny Jones can be reached at [email protected].