Flyers Battle to Region 10 Runner-Up Finish, Punch Ticket to Nationals

Under the pressure of championship Friday at Carolina Legacy Courts, the Sandhills Community College Flyers rose to the moment.

After a dominant semifinal performance, the Flyers pushed Richard Bland College to the brink in the Region 10 Championship match before ultimately falling 3-2. With the runner-up finish, Sandhills secures a berth in the NJCAA Beach Volleyball Championship in Huntsville from April 30–May 2.

Strong Start Sends Flyers to Final

Sandhills left little doubt in the semifinal round, sweeping Wake Tech 3-0 with control and consistency across the courts.

At the top flights, Reagan Malpass and Katelyn Bunting set the tone with a decisive 21-12, 21-11 win over Kendall Backholm and Daisy Yoon. The Flyers continued to roll behind Jacque Holden and Reagan Smith, who earned a 21-18, 21-11 victory against Jenna Carlson and Isabella Perez.

The clinching point came from Averi Cuddeback and Nevaeh Ross, who closed out the sweep with a 21-16, 21-19 win over Morgan Barnes and Skylar Bakowski.

With the sweep, Sandhills advanced confidently into the championship dual.

Championship Comes Down to the Wire

The title match against Richard Bland unfolded as a true battle, with momentum shifting throughout the afternoon.

In flight one, Richrd Bland struck first with win in the No. 4 position. The Flyers evened the match behind a composed performance from Katelyn Bunting and Reagan Malpass, who bounced back after a slow start to defeat Rachel Pickens and Aliyah Millner 21-12, 15-11 at No. 2.

In flight two, Richard Bland's No. 3 pair topped Taylor Miller and Jaselyn Fink for a 2-1 lead before Averi Cuddeback and Nevaeh Ross delivered another crucial point for the Flyers, grinding out a pair of tight sets (22-20, 21-17) over Kaylie Klemm and Aliyah Millner to even the overall match.

The dual shifted to court one where all attention turned to the No. 1 pairing. With teammates and spectators gathered around, Brooke Emore and Olivia Rosy battled Taelin Connolley and Daniella Carino in the deciding match. Richard Bland secured the final point with a 21-19, 17-21, 15-9 victory to claim the regional title.

Looking to the Future

Now, Sandhills turns its focus to the NJCAA Beach Volleyball Championship in Huntsville, where the Flyers will look to carry their momentum onto the national stage.