Charles City suffers opening season setback to visiting Surry Lady Cougars

Charles City's Endya Johnson winds up to deliver a serve.

Robb Johnson photo

Kicking off the Fall 2025 season, Charles City’s Lady Panthers boast a veteran volleyball team with 10 returning players and expectations for improvement. But a key piece in Tidewater All-District team member Jaela Smith sitting out due to injury, the Lady Panthers found themselves on the wrong end of the scoreboard Monday night.

Charles City fell 19-25, 10-25, 20-25 to the visiting Surry Lady Cougars as both teams christened the new season.

In the opening set, Surry’s Gracie Riley fourth straight aces rocked the hosts on their heels. Charles City rallied back to tie the game with four points on their own before Surry went on a 5-2 run.

The Lady Panthers brought the game within one (16-15) after a tap over by Endya Johnson hit the line for a point. Angel Johnson’s serve for Charles City tied the game up on the next point. But mental errors by the hosts propelled Surry to a 9-3 run to close out the first set for a win.

After Surry dominated the second set, Charles City gained their first lead of the contest in third stanza as Kaylee Stewart’s two straight aces launched the hosts to a 4-1 lead. Charles City held that lead as the team entered into double digits (10-7) before miscommunication plagued the hosts. Surry orchestrated a 9-1 run to jump ahead of the hosts, before pulling away for the win with Riley’s back-to-back aces sealing the match.

Charles City falls to 0-1 on the season.