Southwestern Randolph

Southwestern Randolph won the 2021 2A Volleyball state championship vs Camden County, 3 at Reynolds Coliseum, NC State.

Notes

Southwestern Randolph used airtight defense and 31 digs from 2A Match MVP Coley Shiflet to down previously undefeated Camden three sets to one on the way to the school’s third State Volleyball Championship. The title was the Cougars first state title since a pair of back-to-back State Championships in 1991 and 1992. The first set was highlighted by a four point run for SW Randolph including a block by Molly Strider and Josie Allred stretched lead to 14-9 and forcing a timeout. Camden stopped the momentum briefly, but the Cougars found their stride again, feeding Payton Shiflet who had two straight kills, one on a change-up tip and the other on a powerful slam to stretch the first set advantage out to 20-12. Peyton Shiflet finished the match with 12 kills on 48 attacks. After a timeout by Camden, the Cougars ran off four more straight points, arriving at set point with another pair of Shiflet kills and a 24-12 lead. After a nice block from Camden’s Carlyn Tanis to give the Bruins a point, Shiflet slammed home a ball near the right line to take the set 25-13. Camden regrouped after the first set, opening the second frame in stellar fashion with five straight points, organizing a stronger block and making Peyton Shiflet’s attacks slightly more challenging. The Bruins block earned them a fourth straight point and some momentum when Tessa Forehand jammed a Cougar attack into the ground to make the score 10-5 and force a SW Randolph timeout. With some wide attacks by SW Randolph and a big swinging kill by Tanis, the Bruins stretched their lead to 18-11 and forced another Cougar timeout. Camden’s Forehand jammed a kill through the Cougar block before tipping one down to make it 20-12. Camden kept pouring the pressure on in the second set as Sam Smith’s ace made it 21-12 in favor of Camden before the Bruins took the set 25-18. Southwestern Randolph established momentum early in the third set, serving off the first five points of the set. The Cougars continued a powerful attack after the timeout, forcing the Bruins back on their heels and running out to a 13-5 advantage before the second Camden timeout of the set. Josie Allred notched a couple of kills late in the set to push the Cougar advantage out to 20-9 before a hard-fought rally by Camden drew the Bruins within three at 22-19. Southwestern managed to grind out the remainder of the third set 25-20 with freshman Riley Key slamming the final point of the set down to go up 2 sets to 1. The Cougars charged out to a 11-4 lead to open the fourth set turning the pressure even higher on Camden with their backs against the wall. Despite big swings by McKayla Knauss, Tanis and Forehand, Camden couldn’t find very many holes in the Southwestern defense early in the set. However, the Bruins managed to trim the Cougar lead to 13-10 before a Southwestern timeout. Out of the timeout, Knauss slipped a ball off the tape and down on the line for a point to drop the lead to 13-11. That would be as close as Camden could draw because despite crushing attacks by the Bruins, Cougar libero, Coley Shiflet, continued to slide, dive, and otherwise dig balls off the ground, inspiring her teammates efforts with 31 digs in the match on her way to being named the 2A Most Valuable Player. Shiflet and the Cougars challenged Camden at the net and ran off seven of the next 8 points to take a commanding 20-12 lead before finishing the match with a 25-18 fourth set victory. Camden concluded the season 27-1 on the year. The Bruins were 14-0 in the Northeastern Coastal 2A/3A where they won the league title. Camden won the Eastern Regional Championship advancing to the State Championship Match for the first time in program history. Southwestern Randolph was 28-5 during the season, finishing 12-0 as champions of the Piedmont Athletic 1A/2A. The Cougars won the program’s third regional championship and third state title.

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