JORDAN LAKE, N.C. – Seaforth head volleyball coach Scott Green knows the target on his team’s back continues to grow as it pursues a deep run into this fall’s 2A state playoffs.

But to have those aspirations speaks volumes to what the Hawks have been able to accomplish through the first month of the season.

Seaforth left no doubt with a three-set sweep of Orange on Thursday night to extend its streak of sets won to 30 and match victories to 10. Since dropping their season-opening match to 4A Apex Friendship, the team has gone unbeaten.

The Hawks racked up a handful of aces in the opening set including three from Maris Huneycutt to fuel a 16-7 set-ending run.

The 25-14 set win gave way to a tightly contested second.

Ava Wilkerson ignited Orange’s strongest attack of the match. She paired two aces with a kill to give the Panthers an 11-7 lead.

Ally Forbes had a response to level the second at 18-18. From there, Josie Valgus carried the Hawks down the stretch with three more kills to win 26-24 and take a 2-0 lead.

With a full grasp of momentum, Forbes and Valgus dominated the third. The Seaforth duo kick-started a 5-0 run to begin the third, and two aces each pushed the lead to 9-5.

Keira Rosenmarkle, who surpassed 100 kills this season earlier in the week, sparked the night’s final run for the Hawks.

Forbes put the match on ice with a late block and followed with a kill for match point.

The 25-19 third-set win pushes Seaforth’s record to 10-1 overall. Next week, the Hawks jump back into conference play with a home match against Graham before welcoming in unbeaten Chapel Hill on Wednesday.

Orange drops to 6-6. The Panthers travel to both Eastern and Western Alamance next week.

HighSchoolOT updates weekly NCHSAA playoff projections based off of the state’s RPI formula. This information is available for those who are HighSchoolOT Insiders. To view the most recent projections, click below.

Source: highschoolot.com