High school volleyball: No losers in ‘Serve for the Cure’ match
Published 12:00 am Thursday, September 28, 2023
Carson's Kaylee Thonen 14. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Maggie Cross 13 set. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Alana Herring 9 diving to make a save.. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Coach Kelan Rogers making a point. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Coach Kelan Rogers. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Coach Kelan Rogers in time out discussion. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
East's Coach Sandy Lytton. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Maggie Cross 13 dives for the ball. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
East's Coach Sandy Lytton. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Hailey Saftri 10 returns into East defenders over the net... photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
East's Cameron Ostle 2 serves. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Rylee Hendrick 21 sets. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
East's Jordan Dry 21. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Kaylee Thonen 14 serving. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Cadi Reese Joyner 26 and East's Jacee Eudy 10. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
East's Cameron Ostle 2. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Katy Falkowski 32 . photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Rylee Hedrick 21 sets. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Katy Falkowski 32 and East's Jacee Eudy 10 and Brooklyn Buck 4 defending. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
East's Leigan Lusk 9 and Carson's Katy Falkowski 32 on defense. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Riley Wilhite 11 and Rylee Hedrick 21 with East's Leigan Lusk 9 and Alli Corl 8 defending.photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
East's Cameron Ostle 2 and Carson's Rylee Hedrick 21. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
East's Cameron Ostle 2 and Carson's Katy Falkowski 32 defending. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Hailey Safrit 10 and East's Emma Schumacher 14 and Jaeley Legg 7. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Cadi Reese Joyner 26 jumps for joy in team celebration. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Kaylee Thonen 14 returns. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Kaylee Thonen 14 returns. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
Carson's Katy Falkowski 32 and East's Emma Schumacher 14 and Jacee Eudy 10. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
East's Alli Corl 8 and Carson's Hylee Hedrick 21 on defense. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post
By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com
GRANITE QUARRY — For East Rowan head volleyball coach Sandy Lytton, the Mustangs’ annual “Serve for the Cure” day is bigger than any playoff game.
East players and coaches put a ton of effort into the annual event — from the decorative signs and balloons, to the gift baskets, to the baked goods.
Pink was everywhere in the East gym on Monday, a reminder that the fight against breast cancer never rests.
Carson, East’s biggest rival, was in the gym. That helped boost the crowd and energize the gym. Both schools had their vocal student sections out in force.
“It was awesome, a big crowd,” Lytton said. “Lots of alums and lots of familiar faces in the bleachers. We saw (cancer) survivors and we saw fighters. The girls that come to our camps were there. My mother came. I’ve never seen so many people.”
East is not having a fantastic season as far as wins and losses. You don’t lose players like Leah Hinceman, Riley Hill and Anasty Faavesi and not feel it,
They re rebuilding, but the Mustangs (7-9, 5-6) aren’t bad. They are competitive.
“Even against the top teams in our league (Lake Norman Charter, South Rowan, West Rowan) we’ve been in the matches,” Lytton said. “We haven’t won as many as last year, but it’s still been a great group to coach and we have a lot of fun. We are enthusiastic. We play hard. We are quite loud.”
East has some experienced players, but they are in different roles from 2022. Cameron Ostle and Alli Corl have moved to outside hitter, and they also are important for back row defense. Ostle, a junior who was in the middle in 2022, is having a phenomenal season in her expanded role.
Jordan Dry has become the team’s leader in digs, although Lytton was reluctant to put her in the libero role.
“She’s such a good athlete and has such a strong vertical that I was looking at her more as a hitter,” Lytton said. “I didn’t want to put her in the (libero) jersey, but we finally did, and she’s been really good at it.”
Jaycee Eudy has been good in the setting role. Jaeley Legg has played all over the place. Senior Emma Schumacher has found a home as a middle, while freshman Madalynn Tigert has been a dynamic server. She’s had as many as 10 aces in a match. Lytton said Tigert is “an athlete and a half.”
“We’ve had some L’s, but we’ve been learning and growing together,” Lytton said. “We’re hoping to shine in the conference tournament and we’re hoping to make the state playoffs.”
Lytton said 5-foot-10 senior newcomer Lillian Jeffords would have been a difference-maker for the Mustangs, but she tore an ACL a few days before her family departed Arizona for North Carolina.
‘She’s been cleared to practice now, and she really looks pretty awesome,” Lytton said. “But soccer is her main sport. She was one of the top players in Arizona. She should make an impact for our soccer team in the spring.”
Carson (10-7, 8-3) defeated the Mustangs 3-1 — 25-21, 26-24, 19-25 and 25-22.
Ostle had 19 kills and 12 digs for East, while Corl had nine kills, 14 digs and four aces. Tigert also had four aces. Dry had 22 digs. Eudy had 31 assists and 18 digs.
Cadi Joyner had 13 kills for Carson, while Katy Falkowski had 11. Both are sophomores.
Kaylee Thonen had 23 digs. Chloe Webster had 13 digs, and Peyton Connolly had 10.
Rylee Hedrick had 27 assists, with Maggie Cross getting 13.
It was another close loss for the Mustangs on the court, but in the big picture it was a major win. Lytton said about $1,700 was raised.
“That money is going to help people,” she said. “To see an outpouring of love like we had today was so beautiful. We do this every year, but it never fails to bring a tear to my eye.”
The Mustangs aren’t done with good causes. They’ll “Volley for Warmth” on Monday, Oct. 2, when they host Robinson. They’ll be collecting donations of blankets and pillows.
