Travis Dockery
389 Country
On Thursday, Oct. 10, Hayesville's volleyball program finished the regular season with home games against the Lady Bulldogs of Murphy. While it wasn't a sweep, the night ended on a high note.
The action started with the middle school contest. Hayesville's squad showcased their season-long improvements and patience as they controlled the pace of the game on their way to a dominant 2-0 win.
In the JV game, the Lady Jackets were looking to avenge their earlier loss to Murphy and claim a share of the Smoky Mountain Conference Championship. Murphy gained momentum early, winning the opening set 25-19. Hayesville bounced back in the second set, evening things up with a 25-22 win.
The third and deciding set was another back-and-forth affair, keeping both fan bases on the edge of their seats. Hopes soared and dipped with each pass. Unfortunately for the Lady Jackets, Murphy rallied when it mattered most to secure a 16-14 set win, the 2-1 match win, and sole possession of the SMC regular-season championship.
Following the JV game, the senior Lady Jackets and their families were honored for their years of dedication to the Hayesville volleyball program.
After the celebration, it was time for the varsity teams to face off. The Lady Bulldogs came out strong, matching Hayesville score-for-score early on. However, once the Lady Jackets found their stride, they pulled away for a 25-18 win in set one.
Set two was a competitive battle from start to finish. Hayesville's offensive attack and defensive speed held firm, giving the Lady Jackets a 25-23 set victory and a 2-0 lead. That win seemed to take the wind out of the Lady Bulldogs' sails, as set three was all Hayesville. The Lady Jackets cruised to a 25-10 win. With the victory, Hayesville finished the regular season with a 15-5 overall record. In the SMC, the Lady Jackets placed second with an 8-2 record, losing only to champion Cherokee.
Next up for the teams is the SMC tournament. Although the tournament was originally scheduled to begin on Saturday, Oct. 12, the clean-up from Hurricane Helene has forced the conference to modify the schedule. Final dates and brackets were unknown at the time of writing.
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