North Lenoir Drops Thrilling 3-2 Match to Undefeated Wallace-Rose Hill
La Grange—In a match that had fans on their feet, North Lenoir fell to Wallace-Rose Hill 3-2 in a five-set battle on Tuesday night. The Bulldogs, who remain undefeated at 9-0, snapped North Lenoir’s two-game win streak over them, leaving the Hawks with a 5-2 record. The contest saw both teams fighting fiercely, diving for every ball, and pushing each other to the brink, with the final set ending 16-14 in favor of Wallace-Rose Hill.
Alyssa Hatcher had a standout performance for North Lenoir, recording 22 assists, 13 kills, and 6 service points, impacting the game in all facets. Her connection with Lakyn Whitley was a key element in the Hawks' attack. Whitley contributed 12 kills, 7 blocks, and 11 service points, her presence above the net keeping North Lenoir in contention throughout the match. Alivia Whitley also delivered a strong showing in the middle with 12 kills, 7 blocks, 11 service points, and 3 aces, while Fawn Creech added 4 blocks and Cameron Jenkins chipped in 13 service points.
The game was a back-and-forth affair from the start, with North Lenoir taking the first set 25-19 before Wallace-Rose Hill responded by winning the second set 25-18. The Hawks bounced back to claim the third set 25-19, but the Bulldogs tied things up with a 25-21 victory in the fourth, setting the stage for the dramatic fifth set.
In the decisive final set, both teams traded points with Wallace-Rose Hill narrowly escaping with the 16-14 win.
Despite the loss, North Lenoir head coach Heather Carson was pleased with her team’s performance. "That was the best I have seen us play," Carson said. "We were everywhere. We didn’t give up, even when we got down by three or four points, we kept chipping away. I am so proud of them."
When asked about the connection between Hatcher and Whitley, Carson added, "When Alyssa sets her up there [outside], and it’s usually a perfect pass and set, they make a great combo."
Carson also praised her team’s enthusiasm, particularly one reserve player who ran from the bench and into the game when it was her time to step in. "They are excited. They are ready to get back in. I love it, the excitement they have, they always show up, and it just gets better each time."
The loss puts extra weight on North Lenoir’s rematch with Wallace-Rose Hill on October 3rd, which could be critical in determining the conference standings. As the reigning conference champions, the Hawks will need to come out on top in Wallace to defend their title. Both teams will surely be looking forward to what promises to be another intense matchup.
With both teams playing at such a high level, the October rematch is expected to be just as thrilling as Tuesday’s contest, if not more so. The Hawks first must run through the other conference opponents as they face East Duplin at East Duplin High School September 12th
