Flyers Sweep Final Day of Owens Invitational to Stay Perfect
The Sandhills Community College Flyers capped off an outstanding weekend at the Owens Invitational with two more victories on Saturday, defeating Delta College (3–1) and College of DuPage (3–0). The Flyers leave Ohio with a 4–0 weekend record, improving to 8–0 on the season while dropping just one set in their first eight matches.
Match 1 – Sandhills 3, Delta 1 (25–18, 23–25, 25–13, 25–21)
Sandhills opened the day by grinding out a four-set win over Delta, bouncing back after a narrow second-set loss. Brooke Emore led the attack with 12 kills, adding 14 digs and two blocks for a 17-point performance, while Katelyn Bunting provided a major boost at the net with seven kills, four blocks, and a .263 hitting percentage.
Bunting credited practice and her teammates for her success at the net:
"We really focus on pressing and closing the block in practice, and that is reflecting in games," she said. "My teammates really help me see the court better. They'll tell me if I am good to swing or if a certain spot is open to tip to, and it is super helpful. Super grateful to have them helping me out so much."
Setter Averi Cuddeback dished out 17 assists and added four aces, while Reagan Malpass contributed 16 assists as the Flyers' kept Delta off balance. "Switching up free ball plays, out-of-system balls, and dumping the ball once in a while really kept them guessing our next moves," Cuddeback explained.
Match 2 – Sandhills 3, College of DuPage 0 (25–23, 27–25, 25–11)
The Flyers closed the weekend with a sweep of College of DuPage, winning two tight sets before dominating the third. Bunting once again led the charge with 11 kills on .500 hitting, four blocks, and two aces, while Liz Bryson was nearly unstoppable in the middle with seven kills (.429). Taylor Miller and Emore combined for 17 kills, while Malpass and Cuddeback spread the offense effectively.
"Getting around the blockers was a bit of challenge," said Emore. "So I made sure to focus on my serve receive and defense so that if my hitting is off I can help the team back row."
Malpass described the strategy behind the Flyers' attack: "Averi and I really focus on making smart decisions based on what our defense is giving us. It's about keeping the blockers on their toes, so they can't key in on one hitter. We trust all our hitters to put the ball away, so spreading the ball around just comes naturally as we react to the flow of the game."
On defense, libero Olivia Rosy led the way with 19 digs, keeping Sandhills in system throughout the match. Her preparation and mindset were clear:
"Going into today I knew it was going to be tough and we would have to work hard for every point," Rosy said. "Our practices are always very intense and we have been working more on reading the hitters' shoulders and getting to every ball, no matter what it takes. So my mindset going in was to do everything I could to keep the ball off the floor and give our offense the best chance at scoring a point. Our defense was really great and our block did a great job taking away some options for the other team's hitters."
Assistant Coach Holly Mandeville praised the Flyers' composure in high-pressure moments:
"The whole team was locked in—calm, focused, and united from the bench to the court—fighting hard to close out those tight sets with a victory."
Head Coach Alicia Riggan highlighted the team's commitment to daily improvement:
"These girls truly play for each other. They show up every day, put in the work, and it's clear on the court. Their commitment and teamwork have been the biggest difference, and we couldn't be more proud of their effort," Riggan said. "We take things one day and one rep at a time. The players come to practice focused and eager to improve, always asking questions and applying what they learn. That drive to get better every single day keeps us moving forward and not getting complacent."
Next Up
The Flyers return home to The Hangar on Wednesday, September 3 at 6 p.m. to face Lenoir Community College