Bryson City – The Lady Devils waited 8 months to be able to play a contest, any contest. Naturally it took them some time to get the nerves and emotions out of the way. About midway through the first set the Lady Devils found their rhythm and then outbattled a young pesky Cherokee squad to take a 3-0 sweep to open their season. Swain took the straight set win by the scores of 25-17, 25-16 and 25-12.
With 5 new starters the Lady Devils are going to be a work in progress for a little while. That was evident in the opening frame Monday. With the score tied at 9, the Lady Devils used pinpoint serving from junior Savana Smith to go on a 5-0 serge and break the first set open. In the second frame built a 6 point advantage to pull away and take the set. The third set was more of the same, except this time the Devils jumped out to a 10-1 lead and never looked back.
Senior Lenior Rhyne signee Jenna Marr paced the Lady Devils offensively with a game high 12 kills, to go along with 6 blocks and 7 aces. Sophomore Kierston Smith, making her first varsity start as setter, was spot on all night in setting the Devils offense. She finished with a match high 24 assists.
On the back row Hannah Epperson, Brayden Taylor, Mazie Helpman and Jessie Lowman were solid with their passing which in turn allowed the Lady Devils to attack the net.
Swain returns to the court on Thursday as they host Andrews, with the match slated to start at 5 o’clock.