Hunt loses 2-0 lead, match at Rocky Mount in Big East semis

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From staff reports, Wilson Times

ROCKY MOUNT — The Hunt High volleyball team stood one game away from denying Rocky Mount in the 3-A Big East volleyball tournament for the third consecutive year, but the No. 3-seed Lady Warriors fell victim to mis-hits and torrid Rocky Mount serving in the latter stages of the match and fell 13-25, 19-25, 25-16, 25-23, 15-9 to No. 2 Rocky Mount in semifinal play.

“It was a very disappointing loss,” Hunt head coach Teresa Allen said. “We stopped playing the game plan and started focusing on our mistakes instead of what we needed to do. (Our game plan) Was to be consistent serving, attack the ball and keep it on their back row. We did it very well the first two games, then they got the momentum.”

The fortunes of the Lady Warriors (7-14) began to take a turn for the worse in game 3, when Rocky Mount’s Emily Jacob rallied off nine straight service points on the way to the 25-16 win.

In game 4, the Gryphons staved off elimination at 20-17 by keeping possession for five points, taking a 22-20 lead. Hunt rebounded for a 23-23 deadlock and stood two points away from a trip to tonight’s championship game before Rocky Mount closed with the final two points.

“We just kind of fell apart,” Allen said.

The Lady Warriors forged a 3-3 tie in the decisive game 5 before Rocky Mount went on a six-point spurt for a 10-4 advantage. Hunt’s Jordan Young responded with a three-point run from the service line, but got no closer.

With 10 days prior to the start of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A state playoffs, Hunt will attempt to remain in battle-ready mode when it hosts 4-A Mideastern Conference member New Bern next Wednesday at 6.

Rocky Mount travels to archrival Northern Nash Thursday at 6 to decide the tournament title.