Nation Ford, Catawba Ridge and Lewisville earn top region seeds for volleyball playoffs
Three area teams will be top seeds from their region when the 2022 volleyball playoffs begin Wednesday.
The Nation Ford Falcons won their eighth straight region title with a 10-0 mark. The Lewisville Lions claimed another region crown with an 8-0 record. Both teams were at the top of their regions all season.
The Catawba Ridge Copperheads had the most difficult road. They played some excellent volleyball in the last week of the regular season. In the process, they gained a tie for the Region 3-4A title and earned the top seed on a tiebreaker..
The Copperheads finished the region with a record of 9-1. That tied them with the Northwestern Trojans for first place.
Since the two teams split during the regular season, the Copperheads got the top seed by beating Northwestern by a larger margin in the two matches. Catawba Ridge’s 3-0 win over Northwestern to cap the last week of the regular season was more decisive than the Trojans 3-2 victory in the first meeting of the year.
Since losing to Northwestern in the first meeting, the Copperheads won four straight region matches to set up the showdown.
“This team has a lot of grit,” said Catawba Ridge head coach Alicia Lisee. “We never quit, and we never backed down in the stretch run. It really showed the resilience of this team.”
The Copperheads have counted on the offensive production of seniors Ariel Bryant and Ava Stephens and sophomore Hanna Glynn. They are the top three on the team in kills this season.
Catawba Ridge has two setters in senior Emma Campbell and sophomore Sydney Mayak. Both have performed well and contribute defensively.
The defense has been led by seniors Kennedy Chapman, junior Evan Dibrell, and sophomore Emma Claire Mackey.
The Copperheads usually play a rotation of eight to ten players in each match.
“It has been a total team effort this year,” said Lisee. “We have stayed focused on our team goals, and we have improved as the year has progressed.”
Catawba Ridge advanced farther in the playoffs than any area team last year, and Lisee says the experience plus the pressure they have gone through the past several weeks will help them in the playoffs.
“When you are put in high pressure situations you find out what you are made of,” she said. “The playoffs are filled with pressure situations, and the past few weeks have also put us in must-win situations. All of that will help us going forward.”
The Copperheads struggled in the early going of the current campaign. When they had completed 10 matches, they were 5-5. That competition, which featured eight 5A teams, paved the way for the success they have enjoyed.
“We played very tough competition at the beginning of the year, and that was by design,” she said. “Playing those quality opponents really helped us get ready for the season.
Eleven teams are in the postseason this fall.
The playoffs begin on Wednesday in 4A. Catawba Ridge has a bye, while Northwestern plays at home and South Pointe is on the road.
The other classifications begin on Thursday.
In 5A Nation Ford and Clover are at home, while Fort Mill and Rock Hill will play on the road. In 2A Buford is at home, and Andrew Jackson plays away. In 1A Lewisville play at home, and Great Falls will be on the road.
Here are the current region standings for The Herald area teams heading to the playoffs.
Region 3-5A: 1. Nation Ford 10-0/21-9; 2. Clover 8-2/20-5-1; 3. Fort Mill 5-5/15-10; 4. Rock Hill 5-5/8-18; 5. Blythewood 2-8/13-13-2; 6. Spring Valley 0-10/4-15-2.
Region 3-4A: 1. Catawba Ridge 9-1/15-12-1; 2. Northwestern 9-1/15-5-2; 3. South Pointe 6-4/9-8; 4. Indian Land 4-6/8-16; 5. York 1-9/5-11; 6. Lancaster 1-9/3-11.
Region 4-3A: 1. Union County 8-0/10-9-2; 2. Woodruff 5-3/9-17; 3. Clinton 5-3/13-4; 4. Emerald 2-6/9-9; 5. Chester 0-8/4-15.
Region 5-2A: 1. North Central 12-0/18-4; 2. Buford 10-2/12-3; 3. Andrew Jackson 8-4/9-7; 4. Chesterfield 5-7/7-9; 5. York Prep 3-9/4-15; 6. Cheraw 2-10/2-14; 7. Pageland Central 2-10/4-14.
Region 3-1A: 1.. Lewisville 8-0/11-4; 2. McBee 6-2/10-5; 3. Governor’s School 3-5/3-5; 4. Great Falls 3-5/7-9; 5. CA Johnson 0-8/1-14.