Murphy – It was a busy week for the Lady Bulldogs’ varsity volleyball team, as they faced two Big Smoky Mountain Conference opponents and a 5A non-conference team.
They kicked off their week by hosting 5A Franklin. Then they traveled to Rosman, then ended the week by hosting Robbinsville.
The Lady Dogs (8-8) started their week at home by playing the first of their home-and-home series against Franklin (5A, 20-2). Franklin came into the match as the No. 44 ranked team in the state and No. 6 in 5A, according to MaxPreps.
The Lady Dogs took on the Panthers on Sept. 22 and fell 3-0. Despite the Dogs fighting hard, the hard-hitting Panthers got the win.
Franklin started the match with six straight points before Murphy got on the board. Franklin built a 15-2 lead early in the match, prompting a Murphy timeout.
Out of the timeout, the Lady Dogs rallied to bring it close but couldn’t overcome the Franklin lead. The Lady Panthers won the first set 25-17.
In the second set, Murphy took an early lead but was caught by Franklin, which tied it at 6. The two teams were in step with each other early in the set, but Franklin pulled away and won the second set 25-15 to lead 2-0 in the match.
Franklin again grabbed an early lead in the third set and built a 14-1 lead before the Lady Dogs called a timeout. Murphy scored points late in the set, but it was too late and Franklin won the third set 25-8 to win the match 3-0.
After the match, Murphy head coach Nikol Edwards said her takeaways from the match were that it showed them some of the areas that they need to continue to work on. She added that they can compete with school more talented and bigger than they are.
Rosman and Robbinsville were up next for the Lady Dogs. Edwards said the Rosman match would be very different since the two teams faced each other on Aug. 12 in the first match of the season.
She said both teams have improved, and it’s a long, hard trip to make, but her team was going to try its best. Edwards added that they will take the week one game at a time.
The Lady Dogs returned to the court and faced Rosman (5-10) on the road on Sept. 23. This was Rosman’s second straight match against a Cherokee County opponent after facing Andrews on Sept. 18.
The Lady Dogs made the long trip, which was worth it after their 3-0 victory to return to the win column.
Murphy took the early lead by winning the first set 25-21. In the second set, the Lady Dogs made it 2-0 with a 25-18 set win. In the third set, the Lady Dogs closed it out with the closest set of the game, winning 27-25 to take the match 3-0.
The Lady Dogs returned to their home court to face Robbinsville (10-7) in their second meeting this season Thursday. Murphy got a 3-1 win to hand the Lady Black Knights their fourth Big Smoky Mountain Conference loss of the season and snap their three-game win streak.
Murphy took an early lead and won the first set 25-17 to lead 1-0 in the match. Robbinsville came back and won the second set 25-22 to tie the match 1-1.
The Lady Dogs fought and took the lead by winning the third set 25-22 to lead 2-1. Murphy mirrored the first set and won 25-17 to take the match 3-1.
Jenna Cook led the Lady Dogs in aces with four, while Amelia Joyner had three. Keistin Westmoreland, Haven Phillips and Saddie Cornwell had two aces each.
Joyner led the team in kills with 19. Westmoreland was also in double digits with 11 kills. Cook had seven kills and Ellie McClure had six and Emma Hensley had five.
McClure also had three blocks. Holly Childs led the team in assists with 23, while Phillips had 14. Cornwell led the team in digs with 16, while Cook had 15.
Murphy and Robbinsville are 1-1 against each other this season. Both matches were 3-1, with Robbinsville winning the first match on Aug. 19.
Up next
The final stretch of the season is here, as the Lady Dogs have three matches left in the regular season.
They will kickoff their final stretch of the season hosting Highlands, their final regular season non-conference opponent, at 6 p.m. Thursday. It will also be their final regular-season home game.
At 6 p.m. Tuesday, they will travel to face Swain County. They will then travel to Hayesville for their final regular season game at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9.