Lady Blue Flame teammates Lauren Dow (right) and Caroline Lucas get ready for action during the tri-match in Anderson last week.
Photo by Lyndsay Earnhardt
PICKENS — The Pickens High School Lady Blue Flame volleyball team traveled to T.L. Hanna of Anderson last week for a tri-match with the Lady Yellow Jackets and the Lady Bulldogs of Pendleton High. Pickens lost to 5A powerhouse T.L. Hanna and defeated Pendleton.
Lady Blue Flame Coach Rikki Owens recently lost her father and was out for an extended period of time, returning Thursday evening for the tri-match in Anderson.
“I think that last game was the most emotional game I have ever coached,” Owens said. “I was so proud to be their coach that honestly nothing else even mattered. They are such amazing women, and I am blessed to be a part of this team. I can’t put into words how good it felt just to be back with them.”
In the Pendleton win, junior Bailee Earnhardt had four services aces, and she was also the leader in digs with 13. Sophomore Lauren Dow was the top hitter with eight kills, followed by senior Maddy Gentry with three. Dow led in assists with 11, and Gentry had eight.
The Lady Blue Flame’s record currently stands at 13-5 overall, and they are the 4A Region 1A regular-season champion with an unblemished 8-0 record. All five of Pickens’ losses have come against 5A schools.
The Lady Blue Flame played Belton-Honea Path at home Tuesday evening in the friendly confines of Peggy Harden Anthony Gymnasium in Pickens, with results unavailable at press time. The Lady Blue Flame will travel to Hillcrest High School of Greenville on Thursday evening for a tri-match, where they will play 5A Hillcrest and 4A Eastside of Greenville, a team the Blue Flame will likely meet in the playoffs.