<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=37wtPg_0wHvlLQf00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=37wtPg_0wHvlLQf00" width="1800" height="1125" ><figcaption>The Lady Raider volleyball team breaks the huddle after a timeout in the third set during Tuesday's playoff match. (Kyle Pillar, sports editor)</figcaption></figure><p>CARY — Trying to complete a first-round playoff upset, the No. 30 Richmond Senior High School volleyball team made a valiant effort Tuesday.</p><p>Beginning the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 4A East postseason on the road against one of the state’s top-seeded programs, the Lady Raiders saw their season come to an end.</p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p>Playing at Green Level High School, Richmond and head coach Ashleigh Larsen lost 3-0 to the No. 3 Lady Gators.</p><p>At times the Lady Raiders took control of the serve-receiving game and showed flashes of success. Final scores, however, were 10-25, 12-25 and 15-25. </p><p>Facing a taller team than it’s used to seeing, Richmond had to contend with Green Level’s blocking at the net. </p><p>“We did a good job, just like in the conference tournament, of controlling the serve-receive,” Larsen said after the match. “The girls did a good job of making returns to get balls up and make some plays. </p><p>“There were times we struggled with being able to get around some of their blocks,” she continued. “They had some aggressive hitters who were tall, and sometimes you can’t fight against the height.”</p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p>Richmond’s first point in the opening set came on a kill from sophomore middle hitter Madisen Jackson, which made it a 4-1 deficit. The Lady Raiders used a hitting error and two service errors to stay within three points 7-4. </p><p>A 7-1 run by the Lady Gators resulted in a Richmond timeout. </p><p>Down 19-6 later in the set, Richmond split the next dozen volleys with Green Level (21-2), but couldn’t complete the comeback. </p><p>Two of Richmond’s final six points were kills by Jackson and sophomore middle hitter Riley McDonald. The other four points were errors. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">4A EAST | ROUND 1<br><br><br><br>End 1st — Richmond 10, Green Level 25. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROSports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ROSports</a><a href="https://t.co/uoRwwbrXoT">pic.twitter.com/uoRwwbrXoT</a></p>— RO Sports 🔰 (@ROSports_) <a href="https://twitter.com/ROSports_/status/1848853204135776399?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><p>McDonald found the floor to tie the second set 1-1, which was answered by an 8-0 run by the home team and another Richmond timeout. </p><p>Attacks from McDonald and junior outside hitter J’Nasia Neal accounted for the Lady Raiders’ next two points, but during that stretch, the Lady Gators pulled ahead 20-3. </p><p>Not going away quietly, Richmond rallied to win nine of the final 14 points in the set, starting with a booming block from Jackson in the middle. </p><p>Jackson and McDonald each had another kill, while a couple of hitting and service errors, along with a net violation by Green Level recorded for the rest of the team’s points.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">4A EAST | ROUND 1<br><br><br><br>End 2nd — Richmond 12, Green Level 25. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROSports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ROSports</a><a href="https://t.co/wy8UnXFjO2">pic.twitter.com/wy8UnXFjO2</a></p><div class="richm-center-story-desktop" id="richm-1532400536"><div class="richm-adlabel">Advertisements</div><div id="richm-slider-9352" class="custom-slider richm-slider-1988311055 richm-slider"><ul><li><div data-richm-trackid="108216" data-richm-trackbid="1" class="richm-target" id="richm-704536827"><a 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onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><p>The Lady Raiders’ best effort came in the third set, which saw the visitors stay within two or three points for the first half of the stanza. </p><p>Junior outside hitter Ka’mora Watkins gave Richmond its first lead of the match with a kill off the opening serve, assisted by senior setter Ava Edmondson. A kill by McDonald later made it 2-2. </p><p>A fourth hit on a volley by the Lady Gators gave Richmond a point, tying the score 4-4, the last time the Lady Raiders would be even on the scoreboard. </p><p>Neal powered home another kill to make it an 8-6 deficit before Green Level pulled ahead 13-9. </p><p>A timeout by Richmond at that juncture resulted in two Lady Raider points out of the break thanks to a service error and a double hit. A net violation by the home team later made it 19-12. </p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p>Neal capped her junior campaign with a pair of hammers from the outside for two of Richmond’s final three points. A miscue by Green Level on a ball hit out of bounds resulted in the Lady Raiders’ final point of the season. </p><p>“The girls didn’t give up and continued to improve each set,” Larsen shared. “The third set saw our girls come back together and play better. There were just a few mistakes that cost us. </p><p>“It was encouraging to see the girls dig themselves out of that second set rut. Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way, but I’m proud of the girls for playing tough all the way to the end.”</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">4A EAST | ROUND 1<br><br><br><br>Final — Richmond 0, Green Level 3<br><br><br><br>No. 30 Richmond can’t upset No. 3 Green Level. Set scores were 10-25, 12-25 and 15-25. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROSports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ROSports</a><a href="https://t.co/uJncYA3xkM">pic.twitter.com/uJncYA3xkM</a></p>— RO Sports 🔰 (@ROSports_) <a href="https://twitter.com/ROSports_/status/1848865788356399236?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p>Tuesday’s playoff game was the final career match for Edmondson, a four-year varsity starter, along with fellow seniors Sharonda Henderson and Abby Wellman. </p><p>“It stinks we’ll be without Ava, Sharonda and Abby next year,” Larsen said. “Ava has been the glue of our team setting for four years, but we’ll rebuild. </p><p>“We had a young squad this year that learned a lot and that’s good for us to have so many returners. Despite our record, we’ve been able to grow in a lot of ways. </p><p>“I know we’re excited to see the returning girls play their winter and spring sports, but I know everyone is ready to get back on the court,” she closed.</p><p>The Lady Raider volleyball team finished its season with a 7-15 overall record and its third straight trip to the state playoffs.</p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p>Against Sandhills Athletic Conference opponents, Richmond went 3-9 and placed sixth in the standings.</p><p><i>The Richmond Observer will publish a photo gallery of Tuesday’s playoff match later this week.</i></p></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

CARY — Trying to complete a first-round playoff upset, the No. 30 Richmond Senior High School volleyball team made a valiant effort Tuesday. Beginning the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 4A East postseason on the road against one of the state’s top-seeded programs, the Lady Raiders saw their season come to an end.