HIGH-SCHOOL

Polk County volleyball uses strong defense to beat West Henderson for the first time ever

Zachary Huber
Hendersonville Times-News

Every time the West Henderson volleyball team attacked it felt like there were a pair of Polk County blockers waiting at the net ready to stuff it. 

The Wolverines used a stifling defensive performance that included 10 blocks to win 3-1 (25-27, 25-15, 25-22, 25-16) over the Falcons on Tuesday. It was Polk County’s (17-1) first win over Western North Carolina’s premiere volleyball powerhouse. 

Coach Molly Hill said they specifically worked on their blocking ahead of their matchup with West Henderson. 

“We really worked on our blocking, our footwork and our speed,” Hill said. “Because we knew that they were a fast team that ran a fast offense. So we worked on that because we knew coming into the game that we were gonna have to really push that.”

Its win over West Henderson (18-4) also avenges the only blemish it had during a fantastic 2022 campaign. The Wolverines were swept by the Falcons in their third game of the season on Aug. 18. 

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Hill said this win was a goal that was years in the making. 

“We always said we want to be the team that does it, that beats West Henderson,” Hill said. “And we finally did it and to do it in four is just awesome.”

She said playing a large school like West Henderson has always been a difficult mental block for her team to clear. 

Middle blocker Morgan Yoder is thrilled to see the team have the season it’s having after a down year where it finished 11-14. 

“Knowing that our school hasn’t beaten them in nine or 10 years, and we beat them tonight,” Yoder said. “It just makes me feel honored that I’m part of the team.”

But slowing down the Falcons and sophomore middle blocker Emma Bryson is no easy task. Bryson is their best player who averages 3.5 kills and 1.2 blocks per set while holding a hitting percentage north of .400. This season she has 233 kills and 76 total blocks, including 27 solo. 

Hill said she knew that Bryson was West Henderson’s go-to player. To counter Bryson, she paired Yoder against her. Yoder has been a stellar sophomore for Polk County who averages three kills and a block per set while hitting .506 on the season. She also has 148 kills and 48 total blocks on the year. 

Yoder on Wednesday night registered 11 kills and six blocks with most of them coming in the final set. 

"I felt especially that fourth game, we really shut [Bryson] down," Hill said. "She wasn't getting anything over the net. We were blocking everything."

Polk County could’ve crumbled after losing a nailbiting first set 27-25. Hill said she reminded her team of a drill they do at practice called dig or die. 

“It’s dig or die every single point,” she said. “You gotta go. You gotta fight for this ball.”

The Wolverines showed relentless effort in the last three sets keeping plays alive. Outside hitters Ada Kelly, Sophia Overholt, setter Amberlyn Scruggs and libero Ella Waldman all recorded more than 10 digs with Overholt having the most with 20. 

Hill said this win is a large confidence boost for the team and the program as they prepare for the postseason. 

“It’s just a staple point for us,” she said. “It’s an expectation now that we set that we know we can reach.”