Pirates adjust in sweep of Purnell Swett

Chris Stiles The Robesonian - October 12, 2023

</iframe</p> </div> <div class="td-post-featured-image"><figure><a href="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_lead-IMG_9408.jpg" data-caption="<p>Purnell Swett’s Anileigh Locklear (1) spikes the ball as Lumberton’s Leira Smith (7) and Annabelle Horrigan (6) attempt to block during Thursday’s match in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>"><img width="640" height="407" class="entry-thumb td-modal-image" src="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_lead-IMG_9408.jpg" srcset="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_lead-IMG_9408.jpg 640w, https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_lead-IMG_9408-300x191.jpg 300w, https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_lead-IMG_9408-150x95.jpg 150w, https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_lead-IMG_9408-600x382.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" alt=" Purnell Swetts Anileigh Locklear (1) spikes the ball as Lumbertons Leira Smith (7) and Annabelle Horrigan (6) attempt to block during Thursdays match in Pembroke. Chris Stiles | The Robesonian " title="130057430_web1_lead-IMG_9408"/></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text"><p>Purnell Swett’s Anileigh Locklear (1) spikes the ball as Lumberton’s Leira Smith (7) and Annabelle Horrigan (6) attempt to block during Thursday’s match in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p></figcaption></figure></div> <div class="accessibility"> <input class="fontadjust" type = "button" value = "A" id = "normal"/> <input class="fontadjustlarger" type = "button" value = "A" id = "larger"/> <input class="fontadjustlargest" type = "button" value = "A" id = "largest"/> </div> <div class="slideshow-container"> <figure class="mySlides fade"> <a class="image-link" target="_blank" href="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9368.jpg"><img src="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9368.jpg" alt="<p>Lumberton celebrates after winning the first set during Thursday’s match at Purnell Swett in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>" srcset="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9368.jpg" sizes="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) 1280px, (min-resolution: 192dpi) 1280px, 640px" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-3" style="width: 100%;"></a> <div style=""></div> <small class="avant-caption-text"><p>Lumberton celebrates after winning the first set during Thursday’s match at Purnell Swett in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p></small> </figure> <figure class="mySlides fade"> <a class="image-link" target="_blank" href="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9262.jpg"><img src="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9262.jpg" alt="<p>Purnell Swett’s Adisyn Bland (12) spikes the ball as Lumberton’s Annabelle Horrigan (6) attempts to block during Thursday’s match in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>" srcset="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9262.jpg" sizes="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) 1280px, (min-resolution: 192dpi) 1280px, 640px" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-3" style="width: 100%;"></a> <div style=""></div> <small class="avant-caption-text"><p>Purnell Swett’s Adisyn Bland (12) spikes the ball as Lumberton’s Annabelle Horrigan (6) attempts to block during Thursday’s match in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p></small> </figure> <figure class="mySlides fade"> <a class="image-link" target="_blank" href="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9305.jpg"><img src="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9305.jpg" alt="<p>Purnell Swett’s Anileigh Locklear (1) hits the ball back towards the net during Thursday’s match against Lumberton in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>" srcset="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9305.jpg" sizes="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) 1280px, (min-resolution: 192dpi) 1280px, 640px" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-3" style="width: 100%;"></a> <div style=""></div> <small class="avant-caption-text"><p>Purnell Swett’s Anileigh Locklear (1) hits the ball back towards the net during Thursday’s match against Lumberton in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p></small> </figure> <figure class="mySlides fade"> <a class="image-link" target="_blank" href="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9416.jpg"><img src="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9416.jpg" alt="<p>Purnell Swett assistant coach Mackenzie Swett, center, reacts to a play as Anyssia Mains (3) and head coach Corey Deese, right, look on during Thursday’s match against Lumberton in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>" srcset="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9416.jpg" sizes="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) 1280px, (min-resolution: 192dpi) 1280px, 640px" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-3" style="width: 100%;"></a> <div style=""></div> <small class="avant-caption-text"><p>Purnell Swett assistant coach Mackenzie Swett, center, reacts to a play as Anyssia Mains (3) and head coach Corey Deese, right, look on during Thursday’s match against Lumberton in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p></small> </figure> <figure class="mySlides fade"> <a class="image-link" target="_blank" href="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9438.jpg"><img src="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9438.jpg" alt="<p>Lumberton’s Madelyn Carnahan (12) spikes the ball as Purnell Swett’s Wren Jacobs (4) and Yazmine Lucas (8) attempt to block during Thursday’s match in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>" srcset="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9438.jpg" sizes="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) 1280px, (min-resolution: 192dpi) 1280px, 640px" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-3" style="width: 100%;"></a> <div style=""></div> <small class="avant-caption-text"><p>Lumberton’s Madelyn Carnahan (12) spikes the ball as Purnell Swett’s Wren Jacobs (4) and Yazmine Lucas (8) attempt to block during Thursday’s match in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p></small> </figure> <figure class="mySlides fade"> <a class="image-link" target="_blank" href="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9259.jpg"><img src="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9259.jpg" alt="<p>The Lumberton volleyball team chants before the start of Thursday’s match against Purnell Swett in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>" srcset="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9259.jpg" sizes="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) 1280px, (min-resolution: 192dpi) 1280px, 640px" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-3" style="width: 100%;"></a> <div style=""></div> <small class="avant-caption-text"><p>The Lumberton volleyball team chants before the start of Thursday’s match against Purnell Swett in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p></small> </figure> <figure class="mySlides fade"> <a class="image-link" target="_blank" href="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9389.jpg"><img src="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9389.jpg" alt="<p>Lumberton’s Ava Hanna (11) spikes the ball as Purnell Swett’s Calista Lewis (13) and Anyssia Mains (3) attempt to block during Thursday’s match in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>" srcset="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9389.jpg" sizes="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) 1280px, (min-resolution: 192dpi) 1280px, 640px" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-3" style="width: 100%;"></a> <div style=""></div> <small class="avant-caption-text"><p>Lumberton’s Ava Hanna (11) spikes the ball as Purnell Swett’s Calista Lewis (13) and Anyssia Mains (3) attempt to block during Thursday’s match in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p></small> </figure> <figure class="mySlides fade"> <a class="image-link" target="_blank" href="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9433.jpg"><img src="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9433.jpg" alt="<p>Purnell Swett’s Anieligh Locklear (1) sets the ball during Thursday’s match against Lumberton in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>" srcset="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9433.jpg" sizes="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) 1280px, (min-resolution: 192dpi) 1280px, 640px" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-3" style="width: 100%;"></a> <div style=""></div> <small class="avant-caption-text"><p>Purnell Swett’s Anieligh Locklear (1) sets the ball during Thursday’s match against Lumberton in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p></small> </figure> <figure class="mySlides fade"> <a class="image-link" target="_blank" href="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9333.jpg"><img src="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9333.jpg" alt="<p>Lumberton’s Ava Hanna (11) spikes the ball as Purnell Swett’s Yazmine Lucas (8) attempts to block during Thursday’s match in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>" srcset="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9333.jpg" sizes="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) 1280px, (min-resolution: 192dpi) 1280px, 640px" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-3" style="width: 100%;"></a> <div style=""></div> <small class="avant-caption-text"><p>Lumberton’s Ava Hanna (11) spikes the ball as Purnell Swett’s Yazmine Lucas (8) attempts to block during Thursday’s match in Pembroke.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p></small> </figure> <figure class="mySlides fade"> <a class="image-link" target="_blank" href="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9229.jpg"><img src="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9229.jpg" alt="<p>The Purnell Swett volleyball team held senior night festivities before Thursday’s match against Lumberton. The Rams’ seniors include, in alphabetical order: Sadie Barton, Bri Brewington, Emily Cummings, Hayleigh Dial, Kayloni Eddings, Wren Jacobs, Yazmine Lucas, Anyssia Mains and Cristyn Oxendine.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>" srcset="https://s24474.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/130057430_web1_web-IMG_9229.jpg" sizes="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) 1280px, (min-resolution: 192dpi) 1280px, 640px" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-3" style="width: 100%;"></a> <div style=""></div> <small class="avant-caption-text"><p>The Purnell Swett volleyball team held senior night festivities before Thursday’s match against Lumberton. The Rams’ seniors include, in alphabetical order: Sadie Barton, Bri Brewington, Emily Cummings, Hayleigh Dial, Kayloni Eddings, Wren Jacobs, Yazmine Lucas, Anyssia Mains and Cristyn Oxendine.</p> <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p></small> </figure> <a class="prev" onclick="plusSlides(-1)">❮</a> <a class="next" onclick="plusSlides(1)">❯</a> </div>  <script> let slideIndex = 1; showSlides(slideIndex); function plusSlides(n) { showSlides(slideIndex += n); } function currentSlide(n) { showSlides(slideIndex = n); } function showSlides(n) { let i; let slides = document.getElementsByClassName("mySlides"); let dots = document.getElementsByClassName("dot"); if (n > slides.length) {slideIndex = 1} if (n < 1) {slideIndex = slides.length} for (i = 0; i < slides.length; i++) { slides[i].style.display = "none"; } for (i = 0; i < dots.length; i++) { dots[i].className = dots[i].className.replace(" active", ""); } slides[slideIndex-1].style.display = "block"; dots[slideIndex-1].className += " active"; } </script>   <script> $(document).ready(function() { $('.image-link').magnificPopup({type:'image'}); }); </script> <article id="content"> <p>PEMBROKE — Without one of its best players, the Lumberton volleyball team was forced to play in a different rotation in Thursday’s match at Purnell Swett. Even with a first-set win, the results were up-and-down for the Pirates until midway in the second set.</p> <p>Then, everything clicked.</p> <p>The Pirates used a huge run to close out the second set, the carried the momentum through the third to sweep their rivals 3-0 in the regular-season finale.</p> <p>“It took a lot of confidence and working out of our comfort zone, because we did lose one of our starting seniors tonight, and she did play all the way around, so that was a big hole to fill,” Lumberton coach Kali Carter said. “But I think we did pretty well. It’s all about confidence.”</p> <p>Lumberton (11-9, 7-7 United-8 Conference) took a 6-0 lead in the second set, but Purnell Swett (7-14, 3-11 United-8) rebounded to take an 8-7 lead, and the set was tied at 9-9. That’s when the Pirates run began, as they scored 16 of the next 17 points to close out the set 25-10.</p> <p>“I think it was the girls kind of getting comfortable in the new positions, because they started getting a serve on us and we got stuck a little bit, and it goes back to, sometimes they get down in a hole and it’s hard for them to crawl back out,” Carter said. “But once they started cheering each other on and realized, hey, we shouldn’t be this close in the score, I think that’s really what got them out.”</p> <p>“They just stopped talking,” Purnell Swett coach Corey Deese said. “I tell them all the time, it’s like a snowball and it’s going downhill, and everything you’re thinking about not doing, those are the things that are going to happen. … It just got bigger and bigger and the avalanche just took that whole set. There wasn’t really much you could do to fix that.”</p> <p>Leira Smith served for the last 12 points of the run for the Pirates; she had five aces and 11 assists for the game.</p> <p>“I think we just had to serve to certain spots, get them out of their rotation, get them out of their groove,” Smith said. “It was very key for us.”</p> <p>The first set went back-and-forth throughout; from a 17-17 tie, Lumberton scored three straight points on Charley Whitley’s serve, and the teams exchanged points from there until Lumberton won the set 25-22.</p> <p>After the Pirates’ second-set run gave them a 2-0 match lead, Lumberton took a 14-8 lead in the third set after Smith had another long turn serving, with five straight points. Purnell Swett got to within a point, at 15-14, but the Pirates responded with a 5-0 run on Whitley’s serve and went on to win the set 25-18, completing the match.</p> <p>“We did pretty good because we got a lot of blocks and everybody’s energy was really good, and no one had an attitude, so that helps us communicate really well,” Lumberton’s Annabelle Horrigan said.</p> <p>Horrigan, with an increased role in the Pirates’ new rotation, had eight kills and three blocks in the game.</p> <p>“She’s grown a lot in the past three years,” Carter said. “She’s very smart on the court; she knows where to place balls, she can find holes.”</p> <p>Kaylee Lancaster had 14 digs for the Pirates.</p> <p>Annysia Mains had five kills for the Rams after also singing the national anthem before the match on her senior night. Adisyn Bland had five kills, 13 digs and six assists, Bri Brewington had three kills and Emily Cummings had 34 digs.</p> <p>Purnell Swett celebrated senior night for the Rams’ nine seniors: Brewington, Mains, Wren Jacobs, Sadie Barton, Cummings, Yazmine Lucas, Hayleigh Dial, Cristyn Oxendine and Kayloni Eddings.</p> <p>“I’ve loved every minute with these seniors,” Deese said. “They’re such a good group and they all get along and they all are for each other, and that’s good, I haven’t always had that. They want to see each other succeed.”</p> <p>Both teams will now prepare for the United-8 Conference Tournament, which begins Monday. Lumberton is currently 27th and Purnell Swett is 42nd in the NCHSAA’s RPI rankings for the 4A East Region, with 32 playoff spots up for grabs.</p> <p>Purnell Swett, the No. 7 seed, will play at No. 2 Cape Fear to start the conference tournament. </p> <p>“No matter if you’re going to play at another level, or you’ve got one more year to play, you’re never going to have this group ever again,” Deese said. “So when you get on the court, you’ve got to leave it all on the court. You can’t save it for the next game, you can’t save it for the next day; you’ve got to give it everything you’ve got every single play.”</p> <p>Lumberton, the No. 4 seed, will face No. 5 Seventy-First in a first-round tournament game to be played at Gray’s Creek.</p> <p>“(The mindset is) don’t be too cocky, because anything can happen,” Carter said. “It doesn’t matter how we’ve played a team before, who was on it, it doesn’t matter. We’re starting fresh and we’re making sure that everything we do is coming out new, and we’re starting as a new team, because we want to try to go as far as we can.”</p> <p><strong>St. Pauls tops Clinton</strong></p> <p>The St. Pauls volleyball team earned a 3-1 road conference win Thursday at Clinton.</p> <p>Clinton (11-10, 3-6 Southeastern Athletic Conference) won the first set 25-22; St. Pauls (14-7, 8-1 Southeastern) took the next three sets, 25-23, 25-20 and 25-15.</p> <p>The Bulldogs secured no worse than a second-place finish in the Southeastern Athletic Conference, which comes with an automatic state playoff bid.</p> <p>The Bulldogs will host conference-leading Midway in Tuesday’s regular-season finale, and can earn a share of the Southeastern title with a win.</p> <div class="td-a-rec td-a-rec-id-content_bottom tdi_89 td_block_template_10"> <style> /* custom css */ .tdi_89.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_89 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_89.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_89.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_89.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } </style> <div id="ahm-rotd" class="ahm-rotd" style="display: inline-block; vertical-align: top;max-width:365px;width: calc( 100% - 310px ); min-width: 300px;"></div><div style="display: inline-block; margin: 0 auto; width: calc(100% - 375px); min-width: 300px;"><div style="margin: 0 auto; vertical-align: top;height: 250px; width: 300px; background: #666;width: 300px; min-height: 50px;" id="_snup-rtdx-ldgr1"></div></div> <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-5JSJKTT');</script> </div> <i><p>Sports editor Chris Stiles can be reached at 910-816-1977 or by email at cstiles@robesonian.com. 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