Pirates sail to win conference opener - StarNewsOnline.com
After both teams traded the opening two sets, Topsail captured the momentum and never looked back in a 29-27 victory in the third set. This gave the Pirates a lift the Buccaneers could not counter, as Laney never led in the fourth, falling 25-19 to give the home team a 3-1 victory. “We had a big win against Wilmington Christian,” said Topsail coach Hill Pearsall. We’re not going to call it our biggest win of the season or anything like that, but it’s a big win to start out the first game of conference. Both squads showed up to play in each’s Mideastern Conference opener, setting the tone early on that the winner of the match would have to earn every point. Neither team led by more than three points in the opening set before Topsail stormed back from 21-19 down to take the first game 25-23. Laney controlled the tempo in the second set for a 25-19 victory to even out the match 1-1. Neither of those... After Skyler Curran’s spike gave Laney a 27-26 lead, Topsail’s Madi Ford placed a touch ball right over the top of the Buccaneers’ defense to even it back out. Victoria Elder followed that point with a spike of her own to put the Pirates up, before a mishit by Laney ended the set and gave the home team the upper hand, 2-1. “That gave us the momentum to keep winning,” Pearsall said. Source: www.starnewsonline.com
