The regular season is at hand for Panther volleyball.
On Wednesday, Aug. 6 the program welcomed Cherokee to Macon Middle School, for their final preseason scrimmage ahead of the start of the regular season. Versus a Braves team that played in last year’s 1A state semifinals, both Franklin squads held their own.
JV
Cindy Harrell’s JV Panthers took the court for the evening’s first scrimmage, taking an early lead behind multiple kills from Lily Brinson. From there Olivia Anthony and Aubrey Newsome notched two aces apiece, including one by Newsome on set point to win 25-14.
Franklin kept rolling in the second, getting kills from five different Panthers to jump out to another early lead. Addie Powell added a block to go along with another Newsome ace and once again win 25-14.
Varsity
Following their JV counterparts’ 2-0 win, Bekah Brooks’ varsity team took the floor for the main event. After missing all of last season to a back injury, junior Audrey Pressley picked up right where she left off, racking up four kills to tie the first set at 11. Both teams stayed neck-and-neck from there, but Cherokee edged Franklin 26-24.
Sophomore Finley Moffitt heated up in the second, posting multiple kills to keep Franklin within range. The Braves ultimately pulled away once again however, claiming the set 25-17.
Down 2-0 Franklin regrouped in the third, tying the set at 12 behind four kills and a block from Pressley. From there the Panthers slowly pulled away, getting three more kills from Ella Raby to win 25-20.
Pressley and Moffitt stayed hot into the fourth, posting three points apiece to knot the set 16-16. Franklin slowly pulled ahead from there, getting two kills from Emma Hatch to take a 24-20 lead. Cherokee refused to go quietly however, claiming four straight match points and going on to win 28-26.
After scrimmaging the talented Braves, Franklin turned their attention to the regular season, traveling to Hayesville for their first contest Aug. 11. They’ll open the season with a four-match road trip before returning to Franklin Aug. 25 versus Asheville School.