August 26, the NC girls varsity volleyball (11-7) rivaled the Cherokee Warriors (3-13). In typical volleyball tradition, both teams ran up to the center of NC’s arena, high-fiving each other under the net prior to the game’s official beginning. NC’s girls huddled up, receiving a pep talk from coach Stephen Sansing and communicating their goals for the game amongst themselves. Their short meeting ended with a “let’s go Lady Warriors” chant, and the team arranged into their designated spots.
“Before the game, I felt a bit of emotion, like six or seven emotions. I was really excited, but I was also pretty nervous. We haven’t had that many games, and we were still bonding as a team and learning to work together, but I knew that we could pull through. Even if we didn’t win, I knew that the game would be important for us to grow as a team and practice our skills,” magnet junior setter Ashley Hendershot (1) said.
The first quarter began with Cherokee serving and quickly increasing the score to 0-2. Though Cherokee acquired the first two points, NC’s ladies felt confident in preserving and achieving their goal of winning. Outside hitter senior Mia Goldbach (4) served, earning shouts of encouragement from the sidelines, and the score rose to 4-2. A silly moment interrupted the intense setting of the tournament as a ball, served by the Cherokee Warriors, landed in the vicinity of an NC police officer, causing him to join the team for a moment as he served the ball back to the volleyball teams. After this incident, NC scored seven consecutive points, advancing to a seven-point lead 20-13. Although the NC Warriors remained in the lead, the NC sidelines cheered happy birthday during the final minutes of the clock to throw off the Cherokee players. After a quick pep talk for both teams, NC won the first quarter 25-20.
Quarter two began with the same level of intensity as before—if not more. All of NC’s girls showcased their seriousness with the tournament. In particular, sophomore middle blocker Nyla Roseboro (31) dove to the ground in an attempt to keep Cherokee from increasing their score, and although this attempt did not succeed, it truly proved how much dedication every member of NC’s varsity volleyball team presented. Throughout the remainder of the quarter, the two teams remained neck and neck, but the Warriors still won with 25-20. With two wins in a row, the future of NC’s competition remained bright and clear. NC, however, did not relax as they began the third quarter.
After another first serve from the opposing team, the Warriors inched closer to a win with 17-11. Roseboro and junior setter Avery Williams (17) displayed particular sportsmanship and effort through their nonstop participation in the game. The final quarter of the game ended with a 23-17 score, demonstrating both NC’s talent and consistency, as the team scored over 20 points each quarter. This game secured a personal win for Williams, as she earned 14 assists and five digs — the highest number of assists Williams acquired over the last six games.
“I think [the game] was a pretty good win. Before the game, I think our team was very confident. We had a strong weekend coming off of our tournament, and I think that we really prepared ourselves in practice the day before the game. I think we were very proud of our performance and of course our (3-0) win,” Williams said.
Overall, this win poses as the biggest win for NC volleyball since their October 19, 2024, game against Carrollton High School, showing how NC has advanced since losing the last time the two teams met. Leaving the game as champions, the Ladies prepare to battle North Cobb Christian High School (7-8) August 28, remaining determined and focused on their winning streak.
