Murphy – Instead of preparing for a playoff game, Robbinsville is saying goodbye to its 2020-21 volleyball season.
For the first time since 2011, the Lady Knights (10-4, 8-4) will not be participating in the postseason, as the N.C. High School Athletic Association chose to both abbreviate the number of regular-season games and limit the amount of teams that would receive a playoff bid due to the pandemic. The season also began three months later than usual.
Though Robbinsville finished third in the Smoky Mountain Conference, a coveted wild card seed was not awarded to the Knights when the 1A postseason brackets were released Saturday.
“Finishing 10-4, we normally would have no issues getting into the state playoffs,” Robbinsville head coach Kadey Phillips said. “But we didn’t get a playoff spot this year, which is not what we were hoping for. However, having so many players unable to play at the moment, it all probably worked out for the best.”
Thanks to the exposure of the Lady Knights’ basketball team to a Rosman player that tested positive for COVID-19 immediately after the Jan. 5 season opener, eight of the 12 players that normally make up Robbinsville’s varsity volleyball squad were forced to sit out as part of a quarantine. The Knights had to pull up three junior varsity players just to field a team for the Jan. 7 regular-season finale at Murphy, which Robbinsville dropped 7-25, 12-25, 20-25.
“COVID has definitely affected our season tremendously,” Phillips said. “We’ve been having workouts since June, so the girls deserve this offseason to get rested and prepared for next season.”
Like so many programs statewide, Robbinsville will quickly put this shortened campaign in the rearview mirror, opting to focus on the road ahead. The Knights are only losing two players, libero Gabby Hooper and middle hitter Karcee Dooley.
“Hopefully, we will be able to start next season without all the COVID restrictions and delays, and be stronger than ever,” Phillips added.
Middle school, JV
In its final middle school match of the year, Robbinsville (5-9) fell to Murphy 16-25, 20-25. The junior varsity Lady Knights finished the season 4-3.