Hiwassee Dam – The Lady Eagles’ varsity volleyball team hosted Andrews and, like their last matchup, it was close from the beginning to the end of the fifth set.
Both teams wrapped up their weeks Thursday and faced each other in a five-set battle.
Thursday night’s game was gold night in memory of former Hiwassee Dam student Eli Jones, who passed away two years ago. Gold night was a part of Eli Jones Memorial Spirit week at Hiwassee Dam.
The Lady Eagles (4-14) took an early 11-6 lead in the first set, but Andrews (9-9) fought back to tie it at 11. They tied again at 13 and 17 before the Lady Eagles began to pull away.
They tied again late in the set at 23 points before the Lady Eagles scored two straight points to win the first set 25-23.
Both teams exchanged leads early in the second set. Late in the set, the Lady Eagles led 18-15, but the Lady Wildcats fought back to lead 20-18. The Lady Cats maintained their late lead and won the second set 25-20 to tie the match 1-1.
Andrews took an early lead in the third set, but the Lady Eagles fought back to tie it at nine. Then the Lady Eagles took the lead before they tied at 15. The Lady Eagles took a 21-16 lead before the Lady Cats fought back to tie it at 24 to extend the set. They tied again at 25 before the Lady Eagles scored two straight points to win the third set 27-25 and lead 2-1 in the match.
The Lady Eagles got off to a 7-2 lead early in the fourth set, but Andrews began to close the gap as the set went on. They tied at 14, then the Lady Cats pulled away. Andrews went onto win the fourth set 25-16 to force a fifth set.
Andrews took an early lead in the fifth and final set. The Lady Eagles cut into their lead, but the Lady Cats pulled away again. The Lady Cats went onto win the fifth set 15-9 to win the match 3-2.
Juliet Holloway led the team in kills with 25 against Hiwassee Dam. Chanteah Rattler also had double-digit kills with 15.
Lauren White led the team in aces with 13. Drea Cutshaw led the team in assists with 24, while Kaiya Ellis had 21 assists.
Lauren Cochran and Alexis Beasley, as well as Holloway and Cutshaw, had one block each.
Holloway also led the team in digs with 16. Rattler had 15 digs, White had 14, and Mady Queen and Ellis had 12 each. Cutshaw was also in double digits with 10 digs.
Andrews
Prior to their match at Hiwassee Dam, the Lady Wildcats played two games. They faced non-conference opponent Smoky Mountain, then traveled to Robbinsville.
They started the week at home in their final home-and-home series against Smoky Mountain (5A, 12-7) on Sept. 22.
The Lady Mustangs took an early lead in the match by winning the first close set 25-23. They won the second set 25-20 to lead 2-0 in the match. They closed it out by winning the this set 25-17 to win the match 3-0.
Rattler and Ellis led the Lady Wildcats against Smoky Mountain with two aces. White also had an ace.
Cutshaw led the team in assists with 10, while Ellis had eight. Mattie Mustin and Holloway had one assist each.
Holloway led the team in kills with 11. Rattler also had six kills and Ellis had three.
The Lady Wildcats hit the road on Sept. 24 to face Big Smoky Mountain opponent Robbinsville (10-7).
The Lady Black Knights took an early lead in the set by winning the first set 25-19. In a long, hard-fought second set, Robbinsville took a 2-0 lead in the match by winning 31-29.
The Lady Wildcats fought back to win the third set 25-22, but Robbinsville won the fourth set 25-22 to take the match 3-1.
Holloway and Rattler led the team in kills against Robbinsville with three each. Holloway also led the team in kills with 20, while Rattler had nine and Ellis had six. Mattie Mustin also had eight kills and one block.
Cutshaw led the team in assists with 18, while Ellis had 17.
Hiwassee Dam
The Lady Eagles had one other game last week when they hosted Copper Basin, Tenn. (8-6).
It was their second matchup with the Lady Cougars when the Lady Eagles hosted them on Sept. 22. In their first match Copper Basin won 3-2, but this time around they won again 3-0.
It was a close three sets, but the Lady Cougars still got the win.
It an extended set, Copper Basin won the first set 27-25. It was close again in the second set as the Lady Cougars won 25-23 to lead the match 2-0. In the third set, Basin closed it out by winning 25-20 to take the match 3-0.
Up next
Both teams have two games remaining in the regular season.
Andrews will host Swain County at 6 p.m. Thursday, then face Hayesville at home at 6 p.m. Tuesday at senior night.
Hiwassee Dam will host Blue Ridge Early College at 6 p.m. Thursday, then host Highlands at 6 p.m. Tuesday as they also celebrate senior night.
At press time Tuesday, Andrews is ranked No. 15, while Hiwassee Dam is No. 38, in the RPI-based ranking, according to the N.C. High School Athletic Association.
The 30 highest ranking teams in each classification will make the playoffs.