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The Parry McCluer High School volleyball team flew past Craig County 3-0 in a Pioneer District match in Buena Vista on Thursday.
Sydney Mahaffey tallied nine kills, including her 100th of the season, and seven aces as the Fighting Blues (2-7 overall, 2-2 Pioneer) secured a convincing 25-16, 25-12, 25-7 victory. Peira Conner added six kills for PM, while Kadence Zollman finished with four kills, three blocks, three aces and seven digs.
Kailyn Jones led the Rockets (1-8, 1-5) with three kills, while Randalyn Taylor notched two blocks and Erin Snider served up two aces.
The Blues got better as the match went along, taking advantage of several miscues by a young Craig squad on their way to evening up their district record.
“I think we got comfortable just playing our type of volleyball,” PM head coach Jessie Moala said. “All in all, I thought the energy on the court was great on our side. The girls did a great job of supporting each other.”
While the Rockets’ roster is full of players with limited experience on the volleyball court, the Blues’ squad also features several newcomers: six of PM’s 11 players are in their first season on the varsity level.
That includes the two starting middle hitters, who both played major roles in the win over the Rockets. Conner, a junior, is coming into her own as a key weapon for the Blues’ offense, while Zollman, a sophomore, consistently leads PM in blocks and also contributes on defense and behind the service line.
On Wednesday evening, the Blues went across town to catch Southern Virginia’s USA South match against Greensboro College. Watching college-level middles seemed to benefit Zollman and Conner right away.
“They’ve really grown a lot. They’ve been working really hard on and off the court,” Moala said of the duo. “I think they learned a lot by watching the college girls – looking at what their middles do – and they brought that energy.”
Craig jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the opening set of Thursday’s match, but the Blues quickly countered with a 12-3 stretch. Leading 18-15 later in the frame, PM closed things out with a 7-1 run that featured a kill and an ace from Mahaffey, who had four kills in the set. Conner also chipped in three kills in the opener.
The Blues dominated the second and third sets, sprinting out to a 15-3 lead in the middle stanza and a 16-3 edge in the final frame. Mahaffey posted three kills in the second set, while Zollman delivered all four of her kills and all three of her blocks in the third.
Natalie Mohler and Keely Mahaffey tallied 10 assists apiece for PM. Sophomore defensive specialist Allie Cullen – another varsity newcomer whom Moala described as “super- dependable” – recorded four aces and five digs.
As the Blues get deeper into Pioneer play, they’re hoping to see continued progress from their bevy of young talent. If so, PM might be a force to reckon with when the district tournament rolls around later this month.
Regardless of how many wins the Blues pick up down the stretch, the work ethic is there for a successful run. “All of our newcomers are really stepping it up and working really hard,” Moala said.
PM was slated to take on Narrows at home on Tuesday, and the Blues will entertain Eastern Montgomery for Senior Night on Thursday. Action starts with the junior varsity game at 5:30 p.m.
