By Chris McCarthy/Editor
The Gadsden State volleyball team’s home opener on Monday (Aug. 31) was a rousing success, with the Lady Cardinals posting a 3-1 win over Alabama Community College Conference rival Faulkner State at Beck Field House.
The hosts began with wins of 25-19 and 25-20 before the Lady Sub Chiefs avoided a sweep with a 25-23 win.
Gadsden State then put away the Bay Minette squad with a 25-23 victory. The Lady Cardinals improved to 3-4 overall and 2-0 in the ACCC.
GSCC head coach Angie Sanders knew quite well that her team was far from the finish line after going up 2-0.
“We were swapping licks the whole way. [Faulkner head coach] Ritchie [Dulaney] always puts a good team together, and we’re never safe playing against them. I know the importance of that, and I was making sure that our girls did, too.”
The only game Lady Cardinals enjoyed a double-digit lead in was game 1. Gadsden State led by as many as seven points in the second game, but neither team produced more than a four-point cushion the rest of the way.
The deciding game 4 featured nine ties, and the Lady Cardinals could not build on a 16-12 lead. Faulkner State took a 23-22 advantage but the hosts rallied for the final three points, including a spectacular kill by Emma Easley at game point.
Hinton finished with 29 kills, followed by Easley with nine and Mays with seven.
Dobbs handed out 31 assists, while Kaycee Willingham had eight and Anna Sanders five.
J’Nae Fraser came up with 37 digs, followed by Hinton with 29, Easley with 16, Riley Carter with 13 and Dobbs with 10.
Mays and Hinton each had two blocks.
“I was glad to see some of our girls step up tonight, like Summer, JoLee and Easley,” said Sanders. “We have some areas we have to work on, like our blocking, but it’s nice to be 2-0 in the conference.”