Haven’t we met somewhere before?

For the first time in league history, the volleyball teams from the 3ASouth Piedmont Conference are playing each other twice during the regular season. But they could be facing each other as many as four times.

When the decision was made to run through the league twice, coaches and administrators thought they would drop the conference tournament. Second thoughts have emerged, though.

“They’re toying with the idea of a tournament again,”said East head coach Sandy Basinger, who was contacted by Central Cabarrus about the idea.“If I had the fifth-place team and could play myself into the playoffs, I’d want it.”

The top four seeds from the SPCget state playoff berths, and after seeing each other twice during the regular season and once during a tournament, the state pairings often pit SPC teams against each other in the second round, making for a fourth meeting.

“I think a majority of coaches want one. I’m not sure,”said Basinger.

She is certain of one thing.

“I just don’t want to host it. I don’t want my net to fall down.”

Basinger’s Mustangs have played much better as of late and cemented themselves in fourth place, the final playoff spot in the conference. Ahead of East Rowan are Northwest Cabarrus, Central Cabarrus and Sun Valley.

East still plays SunValley and Northwest.

“The way we’re playing now, yeah, we’re a playoff-caliber team,”Basinger said. “It’s been such an up-and-down season, but I think at this time of year you want them to start playing at their peak, and they’re getting to the point where they’re doing what they have to do to win.”

When senior hitter Jennifer Morgan went down with an ankle injury earlier in the season, Raiders head coach Wanda Watts obviously was concerned.

But sophomore Brittney Gaddy stepped up in Morgan’s absence, and now some healthy competition has developed at the South net.

“Jennifer’s getting strong, but she’s worried Brittney’s going to out-do her,”Watts said. After a recent string of matches, Watts said Morgan noticed Gaddy getting “more blocks, more kills —I’ve got to step it up.”

Watts doesn’t mind the competition between her returning all-county and all-conference senior and the up-and-coming Gaddy.

“She’s got Jennifer a little worried,”Watts said. “Maybe it will help her with her confidence hitting the ball.”

Falcon head coach SusanDrye has a pretty set lineup at this point in the SPCseason, and it takes an awful lot to change it, even within a match.

When Kari Schenk, Abbi Heilig, Sara Pieper, Danielle Scearce and Kristen and Kathryn McNeely take the floor, they’re usually on it until the final point drops — for them or for the opposition.

“Ihave a hard time pulling one person out when everybody makes mistakes,”Drye said. “It’s a personal thing, but I usually don’t do a whole lot of subbing.”

Generally the only time Drye will make changes is if a player has been struggling a lot on her serve or is getting down about her play. She added that nobody has complained about playing time, whether it be too much or too little.

Ledford has the Cavs’ number this season.

North Rowan’s only two losses in the 2ACentral Carolina Conference have come courtesy of the Panthers, the latest loss Monday night on the road in four games.

“Our passing still is not good and it hurt us again last night,”North head coach Tricia Hester said. “Carrie (Powers) is our only setter and she had 17 assists in four games. That tells you a lot about our passing. She’s not getting the ball a whole lot.”

Megan Honeycutt managed 11 kills and seven digs, LaTasha Pharr had nine kills and seven digs and Kristen Kobylus added seven digs for the Cavs, who only won the second game.

“We played better at times but they’re just real consistent,”Hester said. “They just don’t make mistakes.”

North’s final three league matches come against Salisbury, North Stanly and HighPoint Central, with theCavs needing two wins to clinch second place. But the CCCtournament will be played at East Davidson, and a tournament win from the No. 3 seed and host could bump the Cavs to third place — and out of the state playoffs.

“We’re in second unless we blow it or East Davidson wins the tournament,”Hester said.

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