Bryson City – It was almost the dream come true that the Lady Devils wanted. Swain pushed 1st place and undefeated Murphy to the very brink before falling 3-2 in a thrilling volleyball match on Tuesday. Coming into the match, the undefeated Bulldogs had not dropped a single set in Smoky Mountain Conference play and had only fallen in 2 games all season, on their way to their 9-0 mark. Tuesday Swain equaled that amount by taking games 2 and 4 from the Bulldogs.
It was an outstanding match between two good teams. Murphy was able to pull away in game five and take the match by the scores of 26-24, 22-25, 25-13, 16-25 and 15-6.
The match also featured two of the Smoky Mountain Conference’s best middle hitters. Murphy’s Jessica Beckner, second in the conference in kills, and the Lady Devils Grace Cabe, who is first in the conference in kills. Cabe got the best of the individual battle, but Beckner’s team took the win. Both players put on a show for the crowd. Beckner paced 3 Bulldog hitters in double figures with 14 kills, while Hailey Thompson added 14 kills of her own and Aubrey Clapsaddle has 11 kills (all stats are unofficial).
Cabe was the most dominant player on the floor for much of the night. The senior middle hitter had, perhaps, her most outstanding performance of what has been a stellar career. Cabe finished with a game high 22 kills and 8 blocks. During the 2nd set, which the Lady Devils won, Cabe had 9 kills and a block.
Sophomore Taylor Collins added 10 kills to the Lady Devil effort, with 7 of those coming in the 2 sets won by Swain. Ashton Younce had a team high 19 assists, while Makayla Riordan finished with 15.
The Lady Devils, who are 7-5 on the season, travel to Robbinsville for their next match.