KM stays unbeaten in Big South by fighting off Crest

KINGS MOUNTAIN — The Crest High volleyball team gave Kings Mountain its toughest Big South 3A test yet, but the Lady Mountaineers showed why they are in first place while earning a 3-1 conference win on Tuesday at Donald L. Parker Gymnasium.

While he credited Crest for coming out strong and said his team didn’t respond well at the start, KM coach Brian Grant’s girls came through when it counted.

“When it came down to time to get down to business, they knew what needed to be done,” Grant said. “They did it.”

The Lady Chargers led 18-15 in the first game before Kings Mountain took control and won a tight 25-23 battle, then cruised to a 25-13 second-game triumph.

Crest extended the match with a spirited 25-21 victory in the third game, the first game the Mounties have dropped in conference play, but Kings Mountain closed out the match with a decisive 25-8 fourth-game win.

“I was really pleased up until the last game,” Crest coach Giancarlo Anselmo said.

The Lady Mountaineers had a penchant for digging some of the toughest shots and turning them into points.

“Coach Grant definitely works on that in practice. He has different kinds of drills for that,” KM junior middle blocker Nicole Ford said. “And it definitely helps in the game, you know, just moving around the court and just trying to get stuff up.”

Ford (5 kills), Cailyn Hughes (7 assists), Sarah Fedyschyn (4 aces), Morgan Robinson (4 blocks) and Emily Gates (10 digs) paced Kings Mountain (8-4, 5-0 Big South 3A), which visits Forestview for a 4:30 p.m. JV/varsity doubleheader on Thursday.

Dakota Keller (10 kills, 3 blocks, 2 digs), Brooke Humphries (3 aces, 4 kills, 4 digs) and Taylor Jones (8 digs) led the Lady Chargers (4-7, 2-3 Big South 3A), who host South Point in a 4:30 p.m. JV/varsity doubleheader on Thursday.

“Coach Grant runs a tight ship, and he’s a great coach. So it’s always great to at least take a game off them,” Anselmo said. “But we’re not happy with that. We’re coming for them next time.”