South Lenoir Stays Hot, But Kinston Shows Promise Despite Loss
DEEP RUN—Kinston's volleyball team traveled to South Lenoir on Tuesday, seeking their first win of the season. While the Vikings fell 3-0 to the Blue Devils, the match was a testament to the program’s growth. South Lenoir improved to 4-2, continuing their winning streak, but Kinston’s performance proved they're heading in the right direction.
Coach Shonda Hines of Kinston acknowledged her team's energy but pointed out critical errors that held them back. "I thought they brought a lot of energy; we just had too many mistakes," Hines said. "Going back into practice, we know exactly what we need to work on."
The Vikings have no seniors on their roster, with four juniors, four sophomores, and three freshmen, but their effort on the court is clear. The first set was highly competitive, with Kinston hanging tough before South Lenoir pulled away for a 25-14 win. The second set saw Kinston come out strong, trading points early before falling 25-16. In the third set, South Lenoir took control for a 25-10 finish.
South Lenoir head coach Madison Harvey praised the competitive edge of Kinston and was impressed with the team's progress.
"That program is growing. That is the best I have seen them play," Harvey said. "The serves were ridiculously good, and they were taking massive swings as well. During warmups, you could tell they had their mojo; they were feeling it. It's great to see the growth."
South Lenoir head coach Madison Harvey noted her own team needed time to find their rhythm.
"We came out here with an expectation, and I think they were too relaxed," Harvey said. "It took a minute to get going, but once they did, we were good to go."
South Lenoir’s dominance wasn’t just a story of strong play at the net but also their defensive consistency. "Defensively, we’re usually pretty consistent, but we don’t capitalize offensively like we should," Harvey said. "We’re trying to be more aggressive at the net. We’ve got to set up our players who are on."
Despite the 0-4 start to the season, Hines remains optimistic about her squad. "I feel like this is a game we can build off of," she said. "Just being able to compete in all three sets and scoring really high in the first set are some really good takeaways. We’re going to take the good with us and move forward."
During the summer, Kinston worked hard, competing in a league at Croatan and logging countless hours in the gym. Hines credited her assistant coaches for helping with the team’s development. "We were involved in volleyball all summer down at Croatan, in the gym all summer, and getting assistance from other coaches who are helping me with the program," she said.
For Kinston, the focus is on steady improvement. The team has only won two games in the past four seasons, but there’s a clear sense of progress. "The work that has been done can be seen," Hines said, noting that they’re headed in the direction of becoming a formidable team. With no seniors and a youthful roster, the Vikings are looking to challenge their season-high win total of four since 2007.
South Lenoir, now riding a four-game win streak, has a quick turnaround as they travel to face Dixon—a team that pushed them to five sets earlier in the season. Meanwhile, Kinston will prepare for a tough matchup against 6-1 East Duplin on Thursday in Beulaville.
While the scoreline may not show it, Kinston is growing. The road may be long, but the Vikings are on their way to writing a new chapter for the program.
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