Lady Eagles Sweep Union, Close to Securing Playoff Spot

ROSE HILL, NC — East Bladen made the trip to Union on Thursday night and came home with a sweep at both the varsity and junior varsity levels, a night that bolstered the Eagles’ momentum in conference play and strengthened their postseason position.

Varsity Recap

The Eagles’ varsity squad picked up a 3-0 victory, handling Union with steady play throughout the evening. East Bladen took the first set 25-15, dominated the second 25-9, and closed the match 25-19 in the third.

With the win, East Bladen moved to 5-5 in the Carolina 1A/2A Conference and jumped to No. 38 in the 2A RPI rankings.

That climb provides a more secure footing in the playoff race, as the top 48 teams qualify under the NCHSAA’s new format.

JV Recap

East Bladen’s junior varsity squad also delivered, grinding out a 2-0 victory to push their season mark to 13-3.

The Eagles took the opening set 25-20 and held off Union 25-22 in the second to seal the sweep.

It was a team effort on the stat sheet. Harlie Shaw had a standout night with six aces, two kills, and a dig.

Bella Beard powered down three kills, while Tenley Dowless contributed an ace and eight attacks.

Maylin McMichael added both an ace and a kill, and Julia Flowers anchored the defense with five digs to go along with two kills.

Other contributors included Gracey Edwards with a kill, Chloe Merritt with an ace and two kills, and Addison Douglas who chipped in two aces and a dig.

Avianna Whittington also gave solid minutes as East Bladen spread the offense across the lineup.

With both squads clicking, the Eagles are building momentum at the right time — varsity gaining playoff security and JV stacking up wins in a strong season.

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Lady Eagles Sweep Union, Close to Securing Playoff Spot