Th
e Crusaders got off to a quick start in the first set, then withstood a rally by the Eagles of Hilton Head Christian Academy to capture the first set 26-24. The Eagles reversed the situation by getting to an early lead in set two, only to see the Crusaders battle from behind to take control at 17-17 to walk away with a 25-20 victory. Great defense from Kaitlyn Banks from the back row frustrated the Eagles throughout the contest. At the net, Reagan Funderburk and Kailyn Koontz had blocks for points along with Eleanor Fitz. As in the earlier matches, consistent serving, not giving away points, led to a win in a tight quarterfinal victory. The Crusader offense was directed by Senior Setter Emily Colby leading to a team leading 11 kills from Region II Player of the Year, Lauren Reynolds followed by five kills from Junior All-Region OH, Alexa Brownell.
NCA next plays in the tournament semi-finals Saturday morning at 11:30.
Player of the Day: Kaitlyn Banks