The Orange volleyball team celebrated its first victory of the season over Southeast Alamance on Thursday night. Senior Sawyer White had 30 assists, seven digs and six kills as the Lady Panthers swept the Stallions on scores of 25-5, 25-11 and 25-13. Junior middle blocker Aubry Hodges finished with four kills and one block. White has come full circle in her career. She started as a freshman when Orange won the 3A Eastern Regional championship. Now, after the graduation of Ava Wilkerson, Aubrey Jordan, Katie Silcott, Addison Guentensberger, Gianna Negron and Milleka Purcell, White finds herself a senior leader among a group of underclassmen who are already stepping up with major contributions. On Tuesday in a 3-2 loss to defending 7A Eastern Regional Champion D.H. Conley, freshman Kynlee Albert had 17 kills in her first varsity game. Avery O’Quinn finished with 16 kills against the Vikings. Against the Stallions, Albert finished with ten kills. White and Daphne Tyll, another senior, each had seven digs. It was the first win for new Orange head coach Mary Alice Pike, who coached her first high school games since 2020 this week. Pike previously was the head coach at Trinity. Orange will prepare for a road trip to Roxboro to face Person on Tuesday. The Rockets ended Orange’s season in the third round of the 5A State Playoffs last year.
