West Stokes rebounds against Vikings

KING — West Stokes bounced back against rival North Stokes with a 3-1 victory after the Wildcats lost 3-1 to Mid-State 2A opponent and No. 1 rank team in the West, McMichael.

Before the Wildcats took to the court against the Vikings, coach Jordan Stevens and the volleyball team recognized senior setter Presley Barker before the game for becoming the school’s All-Time career assist leader with 2,081, breaking Jaden Tuttle’s record. Barker broke the record against Walkertown on Sept. 12.

North Stokes took the opening set 25-21 in come from behind fashion. The Wildcats were leading 16-12 when Caroline Mabe recorded an attack. Two hitting errors and another kill by Mabe knotted the score at 16-16.

A serving error gave the Cats a 20-18 advantage. An attack by Gabbi Greer and a block by Rachel Bingman tied the score at 20. Between a kill by Mabe, two more blocks by Bingman, and a hitting error by the Cats, gave North Stokes a 24-20 lead. A kill by Bingman gave the visitor the first set win.

In set two, the Wildcats prevailed 25-21, but not without some struggles. West jumped out to a 5-2 lead only to see the Vikings catch them at 7-7 and then took an 11-7 advantage on back-to-back attacks by Emma Lawson.

A hitting error gave the serve back to the Wildcats with Lily Dudley taking to the line. Dudley served five consecutive times helping propel the home team to a 12-11 lead with a pair of aces.

West Stokes held the lead for the remainder of the set with their largest lead being the final score.

The Wildcats led in set three from start to finish, winning 25-16 with the help of eight hitting errors by the Vikings.

In set four, the teams recorded eight ties before the Wildcats took the lead for good at 18-17 on a kill by Scarlett Smith. A hitting error by North made it 19-17, and back-to-back attacks by Dudley gave West a 21-17 lead. Maddie Childress closed the game on her team-leading 14th kill of the match.

Dudley recorded 12 kills and three aces off the bench, Addie Willard had nine kills, Emmerson Adams led the team with 25 digs, and Barker added to her career assist total with 45 assists, while registering 18 digs, and two aces.

Greer led the Vikings with nine kills, five blocks, and three digs. Bingman recorded nine kills and seven blocks, Mabe 18 digs, and five kills, and freshman Payton Mabe had 14 assists.

West Stokes improved to 12-3 overall, North Stokes fell to 4-11. The Wildcats will travel to Reidsville on Sept. 26, while the Vikings will host Alleghany.

Scoring

North Stokes 25 21 16 21

West Stokes 21 25 25 25