Braves volleyball beats Barton, continues historic streak

PEMBROKE — When lots of the present volleyball gamers at The College of North Carolina at Pembroke got here to campus as freshman, this system was within the midst of a four-year winless streak in convention play from 2015-19 that reached 49 video games.

Now they’re driving a distinct type of streak.

The Braves swept Barton Tuesday on the English E. Jones Heart to earn their eighth straight win, 5 of which have are available in Convention Carolinas play.

“Successful is at all times an incredible accomplishment, however to do eight in a row is unquestionably robust irrespective of who you might be, so I’m simply happy with this group,” first-year Braves coach Casey Wehling stated. “They maintain prevailing, they’ve put in that tough work, so that they’ve actually earned every thing they’ve gotten thus far, and that’s only a testomony to them and the best way this group is, the tradition is, and what we are able to look ahead to the remainder of the season. We’re going to maintain rolling so long as we are able to.”

UNCP (12-5, 5-0 CC) hasn’t had a successful convention file since 1994, and the Braves’ eight-game streak is the group’s longest since that 1994 season.

The streak started Sept. 11 towards Albany State, and 6 of the eight wins have come away from residence; the final 4 wins have been 3-0 sweeps, and the group has solely misplaced three units in the course of the streak.

“It has been super-fun, as a result of we’re introducing a bunch of ladies that don’t know what it’s to lose,” stated sophomore Morgan Gibbs, who had a team-high 28 assists Tuesday. “It’s very nice to be seemed up upon and never have dust in your title.”

The Braves trailed early within the first two units Tuesday — Barton (3-4, 0-2 CC) led 5-1 within the first set earlier than the Braves gained 25-14, and the Bulldogs led the second set 9-3 earlier than UNCP gained 25-20. A 9-2 run within the third set turned a 14-14 tie right into a 23-16 UNCP lead earlier than the Braves closed out the match with a 25-19 win.

It’s clear that successful comes way more naturally to this Braves group — a mirrored image of the brand new tradition this system has constructed.

“After I got here in as a freshman it was actually exhausting for us to get that win, and for us to be the place we at the moment are, that’s actually pushed us,” stated senior Kaila Crowder, who led the Braves with 11 kills Tuesday. “Even final yr, beginning to construct that successful tradition, that basically pushed us this season, and I really feel like now we have an incredible group of ladies that know what they’re doing, they wish to win, and I really feel like that’s actually what pushed us this far.”

When Wehling took over in Might, she inherited a program that hasn’t had a successful season since 2010. The tide started to show final season, delayed to this spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a 7-8 general file and a 7-7 convention mark within the sixth and remaining season for coach Ellen McGill, who was named Peach Belt Convention Coach of the 12 months.

“I feel Ellen did an incredible job; she began this complete factor and I’m tremendous grateful for her and she or he actually handed over a gem to me,” Wehling stated. “However these ladies actually perceive what it takes, as a result of they’ve been on the backside.”

After McGill helped lay the groundwork, the Braves gamers say Wehling helped put them excessive and be the very best model of themselves.

“She’s very robust on us as a result of she is aware of the usual, and what we are able to really attain, our potential,” Gibbs stated. “She reminds us daily, ‘is that this what you’re going to do to achieve your targets, is that this serving to you,’ (when) we’re not doing it proper and stuff, so we’re held extra accountable.”

A giant a part of the Braves success has been every participant understanding her function and doing her job effectively in that function. Brianna Warren, who has twice been named Convention Carolinas Participant of the Week, has 151 kills and 73 blocks this season; Shannon Skryd has 159 kills and 186 digs; Elise Martin has 190 digs; and Crowder has 111 kills. In volleyball’s definitive role-player place, the Braves have two sturdy setters: Katie Pressley, who didn’t play Tuesday, has 409 assists and has twice been named Convention Carolinas Specialist of the Week, and Gibbs has 135 assists.

“It’s super-important, after which we don’t have to fret about miscommunication,” Wehling stated. “We discuss communication rather a lot, and everyone is aware of what their function, what their job is. We made that clear in preseason, so it’s actually helped us rather a lot; everyone is aware of the place they slot in and what we anticipate of them as coaches, and their teammates as effectively.”

Even these Braves who’re spending extra time on the bench than on the courtroom are relishing their roles.

“I really feel like all of us assist one another, and even when somebody at your place is taking part in over you, the person who’s not taking part in continues to be serving to them on the sideline, like ‘hey, you are able to do this,’ or ‘hey, that is open for you,’” Crowder stated.

Wanting forward, the Braves play street video games Friday at Emmanuel and Saturday at Erskine earlier than returning to Pembroke for a four-game homestand. It’s a sensible chance the streak may very well be removed from over, with every of the Braves’ subsequent 5 opponents every having a shedding file.

Nevertheless lengthy the streak lasts, the Braves will proceed with the camaraderie and exhausting work that’s sparked it by means of the remainder of the season.

“We’re only a massive household, they usually maintain one another accountable,” Wehling stated. “We maintain that in thoughts daily in apply, and we simply remind them so that they maintain working exhausting, and we’re making mini-goals and we’re getting these completed.”