Posted: Oct 12, 2023
Wilmington, NC (October 13, 2023) - The Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) Women's Volleyball team defeated the Richard Bland Statesman, defending National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Volleyball National Champions, last night at the Joe and Barbara Schwartz Center. The Statesmen are currently ranked third in the NJCAA national rankings.
The Sea Devils and the Statesmen worked through an intense, evenly-matched set as both teams regularly answered each other's points. Leah Davis earned a team-high of 23 digs and worked alongside London Ipsen to keep the Sea Devils in every play and set their teammates up for success. Ipsen earned 20 digs and 12 kills, keeping the Sea Devils pushing forward as the set progressed. The set continued, and the Statesmen finished on top 29 to 27.
The Statesmen had the upper hand at the beginning of the second set - capitalizing on errors and defensive mistakes from Cape Fear. But the Sea Devils managed to even the score and return to their normal competitive rhythm midway through the set. While the Sea Devils fought to regain momentum, the Statesmen pulled away and finished the set 25-20 to put them up 2-0 overall.
Moving into the third set, the Sea Devils came out with new energy from the bench and pushed the tempo against the Statesmen. Freshmen Sarah Siebert and Madi Henry implemented integral defensive changes that allowed the Sea Devils to find their rhythm. Cape Fear and Richard Bland went tit-for-tat as both sides slowly amassed points. The Statesmen took steps toward a lead after a few defensive communication errors by the Sea Devils, but Cape Fear continued to push forward and close the gap as the set progressed. Cape Fear's grit and determination earned them the third set 25-23.
The fourth set was evenly matched as both teams made big plays after long rallies. The Sea Devils took control late in the fourth set to tie up the match finishing 25-23.
The Sea Devils persevered through the fifth and final set, taking advantage of every opportunity the Statesmen left open. With the support of friends, family, and other CFCC Athletics teams behind them in the stands, Cape Fear defeated the defending National Champions 3-2.
Sophomore standout Quincy Vanderhorst finished the match with a triple-double of 10 digs, 15 kills, and 19 assists. Freshman on-the-rise Mackenzie Davis finished the night with 15 kills and 13 digs.
"I am incredibly proud of the team effort and heart that we showed on the floor tonight," says Colby Rosser, CFCC Head Women's Volleyball Coach. "The team persevered, never gave up, and played the level of volleyball I knew they were capable of."
Up next, Cape Fear Volleyball will travel to Fayetteville Tech on Tuesday, October 17th to take on the FTCC Trojans at 6 PM in Fayetteville, NC.
