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Lady Devils took the win at home Tuesday against Blue Ridge
Hannah Styles
hstyles@thesmokymountaintimes.com
The Swain County High School girls’ volleyball team hosted the Hiwassee Dam Eagles last Thursday for the Devil’s first home game of the season. The matchup proved well for Swain as the team won the first two matches of the night, 25 to 20 in the first set and 25 to 19 in the second. The Eagles fought back in the third set, outscoring the Devils by two with 26 to 24. Swain didn’t stay down long, as they ended the final match up 13 points, defeating Hiwassee Dam 3-1.
The Devil’s win came after a 3-1 defeat at the non-conference season opener last Monday at Smoky Mountain. On Thursday, Swain worked well together and showed a lot of morale throughout the game. Their communication, teamwork, and positive attitudes seem to help them bring home the win.
On Monday, the Lady Devils took on Pisgah for an away game, where they suffered a 3-0 loss. But on Tuesday, they turned their luck around defeating Blue Ridge Early College at home by 3-0. Swain won the first set 25-16, with the Blue Ridge Bobcats fighting back in the next two sets with 25-20, and the nail-biting final set of 25-22. Swain will play at home on Thursday vs Tuscola at 6 p.m.
JV Volleyball wins vs Hiwassee Dam, Pisgah
Swain’s junior varsity girls’ volleyball team also took on Hiwassee Dam on Thursday, following a 3-1 loss against the Smoky Mountain Mustangs earlier in the week, but Thursday’s game had a much better outcome for the Lady Devils. Swain shutout the Eagles winning by 15 points in the first set, with 25 to 10 and then with 13 points in the second, with 25 to 12. The JV Lady Devils won the match 2-0.
On Monday, Swain’s JV volleyball team competed against the Pisgah Bears where the Lady Devils took another 2-0 win. Their next game will be Thursday at home against Tuscola.
Team has been working all summer
Ready for a competitive season, the Lady Devils have been preparing for the upcoming season all summer long with workouts, camps, and growing closer as a team.
“We have been working hard all summer. Our girls have been in the weight room four days a week since June,” Head Coach Lydia Sale said. “We had a coach from Campbell University come in and run a satellite camp at Swain for our JV and Varsity teams. We have also been in the gym since mid-July doing workouts.”
The team has three seniors this year that are the team captains: Kiersten Smith, Haileigh Woodard, and Maddie Spates.
Coach Sale is excited to watch the team better each other throughout the year.
“It has been a huge blessing to walk in the gym each day and get to coach these girls. There is a true competitive atmosphere, but every person is dedicated to making their teammates better through accountability and encouragement,” Coach Sale said. “This group has something special, and our coaching staff is looking forward to seeing how they compete and grow into amazing young women throughout this season.”