Lady Trojans sweep series with Tabb, hold 2nd place

Lady Trojan Paige Simpson dives to dig a Tabb serve in New Kent’s straight set victory.

Alan Chamberlain photo

By Robb Johnson
Chronicle Intern

New Kent’s Lady Trojans came into their Oct. 9 Bay Rivers District volleyball match with Tabb’s visiting Tigers knowing they were the better team. The game was very competitive in the first set, but then the hosts showed in the next two sets which was the more talented and dominant team.

After holding off Tabb 25-23 in the first set, New Kent romped 25-7 in set two and closed out the match with a 25-21 win in the third set.

“Their hitters were better than our hitters in that first set,” said New Kent coach Cyndi Burnett.

The first set started off with Tabb going up 2-0. New Kent rallied to take slim leads until a series of Tabb kills resulted in a 17-17 tie. New Kent took a time-out with a 22-21 lead.

Tabb rallied to deadlock the score at 23 before New Kent took the lead for good and won on a Karley Allen kill.

“New Kent dominated,” said Burnett, pointing to the second set.

In the third and final set, New Kent kept up the intensity from set two, starting with a 9-1 lead before a Tabb time-out. Tabb would not give up like in the set before as they stormed back to tie 18-18, then 19-19.

Momentum, however, changed at 20-19 when a vicious kill from Allen off the chest of Tabb’s Antonia Broussard elicited a roar from the home crowd. New Kent never looked back, ending the set on a Rachel Byers ace, her third of the night.

Gina Sledd dished out 29 assists while Olivia Foster had 13 digs. Jena Williams had six kills while Ashley Pierce chipped in five. The player of the night and maybe of the year was Allen with 16 crucial kills and 13 digs.

“She has been consistent all season and a great leader,” Burnett said. “Allen dominated the game and is overall our best player on the court,”

New Kent improved to 11-2, holding second place in the district behind 12-0 Jamestown.

“Our goal is to be number 1,” Burnett said.

(New Kent fell in three sets last Thursday at Jamestown to drop into a tie for second with Grafton.)