Rams run alongside Colts, can’t finish

PEMBROKE — All season long, Purnell Swett volleyball coach Corey Deese has urged her Rams team to “finish.”

With a five-point lead late in the fourth set Tuesday, the Rams looked primed to force a fifth set against visiting Cape Fear. But instead, it was the Colts who finished, scoring seven straight points to win the set and clinch the match 3-1.

While the match’s conclusion stung for Purnell Swett, Deese was also proud of her team for putting themselves in that position against such a strong opponent.

“We just don’t finish well sometimes, and with that comes the results that we get,” Deese said. “I’m super proud of them, though. I think Cape Fear thought that we were going to be a cake walk and we weren’t. We played well, we just didn’t finish. And we missed too many serves.”

Purnell Swett (8-6, 4-5 United-8 Conference) used an 8-0 run on Kabrina Oxendine’s serve to take a 19-13 lead over Cape Fear (11-5, 8-1 United-8) in the fourth set. The Rams maintained a lead of three points or more over the next stretch, leading 21-18, and won two points to take a 23-18 lead — but Cape Fear ended with a 7-0 run to win the set 25-23.

The Rams did win a set against Cape Fear for the first time in the last four meetings, taking the second set 25-16 after controlling the majority of the set. From a 7-7 tie, Purnell Swett won the next five points on Braci Woods’ serve to take a 12-7 lead, and after Cape Fear closed back within a point at 15-14 the Rams used a 9-1 run to go up 24-15.

“(It’s) just telling them to play their game,” Deese said. “Play the way we play in practice, play like they know they’re as good as they are. Because they’re good, and they’ve just got to know that they’re good and they’ve got to play that way. And sometimes I think they forget that because they’re used to being an underdog, and it’s trying to change that mentality that you are a better team than you’ve been in the past, and you’ve got to play like it, and finish. Finish, finish, finish, that’s the main thing.”

Cape Fear led 18-16 in an evenly played first set before scoring the next three points to pull away to a 21-16 lead, with the Colts winning the set 25-20.

After Purnell Swett’s second-set win evened the match, Cape Fear jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the third set. The Rams got as close as 10-9, but the Colts outscored Purnell Swett 15-7 the rest of the set to earn a 25-16 win and take a 2-1 lead in the match.

Adisyn Bland and Anileigh Locklear continued their consistently strong play for the Rams, with Bland earning 12 kills, six blocks, seven digs and two aces in the match, while Anileigh Locklear had six kills, four aces and 15 digs.

Kamryn Locklear and Riley Deese were also strong for Purnell Swett; Kamryn Locklear compiled 10 digs and two aces, while Riley Deese had seven blocks.

“Kamryn was all over the backcourt, but that’s why she’s got a different-colored jersey,” Deese said. “She dug balls that a lot of people wouldn’t have been able to, and she pulls up when the setter’s out and just plays her job really well. Riley was all over the net tonight; I think she’s starting to build her confidence up. And they’re young, they’re sophomores, so the fact that they’re getting more comfortable and things like that, so that’s a plus.”

Purnell Swett has five matches remaining in the regular season, all against United-8 Conference competition; this begins with Thursday’s match at Jack Britt before a three-game homestand begins Tuesday against South View.

Despite Tuesday’s outcome, Corey Deese saw playing such a competitive match against Cape Fear as a positive sign after the Colts swept the Rams in a far less competitive match on Aug. 29.

“Considering that they beat us three straight the first time we played them, and we gave them a fight and it looked like we were going to go five sets this time, I’m feeling good about where we are,” Corey Deese said. “We continue to work hard at practice and continue to grow and get ready for the next fight.”