Roper named to all-tournament team after App State’s Black & Gold Invitational

For the second year in a row, Appalachian State University volleyball player Kenady Roper was named to the all-tournament team for her efforts during the Mountaineers’ Black & Gold Invitational in Boone.

A junior defensive specialist/libero who graduated from Patton High School in 2022, Roper finished with 34 digs, 10 assists, and two aces over the course of the tournament, which included a three-set loss (23-25, 25-27, 15-25) to Clemson on Sept. 12, a three-set victory (25-20, 25-18, 25-23) over Winthrop on Sept. 13, and a five-set triumph (16-25, 25-18, 17-25, 25-18, 15-12) over Wofford on Sept. 14.

Thanks to the 2-1 performance during their host tournament, the Mountaineers entered this weekend’s Wake Forest Invitational in Winston-Salem with a 5-4 record on the season.

“It means a lot (to make the all-tournament team) because it’s definitely hard to compete for that, especially for my position,” said Roper. “I feel like a lot of hitters normally get it which is great, but it’s especially hard for my position to compete for that, so it definitely means a lot that my coaches and the other coaches recognize how I contribute to the team.”

In attendance during App State’s match against Wofford were members of the current Patton varsity and JV volleyball teams, who made the trip up the mountain to see Roper in action.

“I heard that they were coming to the game, but it was months before, so I was unsure of exactly which game it was,” said Roper. “But I think the coolest thing was that the freshman class when I was a senior, I got to see them, and now they’re seniors. … That’s just awesome that they stuck with volleyball and that they’re still supporting me, so that’s really kind.”

Roper is also glad to see the Patton program doing so well, as the varsity team entered Thursday’s home contest against Polk County at 12-3 overall and 4-2 in Mountain Foothills 7 1A/2A Conference play and the JV squad came in at 9-5 and 3-3.

“I feel like the Patton coach (Hayden Huffman) has impacted that team a lot,” said Roper. “I’m just very happy to see that the love for the sport’s still growing and that they’re succeeding.”

As for Roper, who has played in all nine matches and all 35 sets in 2024, her season totals include team highs in digs (106) and aces (eight) as well as 34 assists (third on team). She stated that she has learned a lot over the last couple of seasons about competing at the collegiate level.

“I think I’ve learned so many things about volleyball and myself, but a lot of it is that I’ve learned how much discipline it takes,” said Roper. “It’s a lot more discipline than I would have thought, just doesn’t compare to any other thing that I’ve ever done, like travel ball or high school. The hours that you put in week to week and balancing college classes, you can’t explain it to anyone until they’re in your shoes, so I think I’ve learned that discipline is key and that consistency week to week will kind of get you where you want.”

After facing the host Demon Deacons on Friday, the Mountaineers are scheduled to play Davidson today (Saturday, Sept. 21) at 4 p.m. in their final match of the Wake Forest Invitational.

Gragg at MIT

Although she entered Friday having missed four straight matches due to a concussion, senior outside hitter Ella Gragg (Patton 2021) started the first five matches for the Engineers (9-0), appearing in a total of 15 sets and recording 32 kills (fourth on team), 26 digs (sixth), six aces (sixth), and three blocks (10th).

MIT is currently participating in the New York University Showdown, a two-day tournament that began with a match against UC Santa Cruz on Friday before continuing with today’s contests against Johns Hopkins (3 p.m.) and host NYU (5:30 p.m.). The Engineers are ranked eighth in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association/Taraflex NCAA Division III poll, while Johns Hopkins and NYU are ranked second and 11th, respectively.

Gragg at UNC Greensboro

Ella Gragg’s younger sister, Izora Gragg (Patton 2023), is a sophomore setter for the Spartans (4-5) who has started all nine matches and played in all 34 sets, amassing a team-high 344 assists to go with 76 digs (second on team), seven aces (T-fourth), 10 blocks (fifth), and nine kills (sixth).

UNC Greensboro is hosting the Greensboro Invitational this weekend, a tournament that saw the Spartans face Tennessee Tech and Georgetown on Friday before battling Marshall today at 2 p.m.

Lynch at Montreat

A senior middle blocker for the Cavaliers (3-0, 3-0 NAIA Appalachian Athletic Conference), Shalice Lynch (Freedom 2020) is tied for second on the team in blocks (four) and is fifth among Montreat players in kills (12) while appearing in all 12 sets across the squad’s three matches.

Lynch also has three digs this fall, and she was scheduled to join her teammates for homecoming weekend matches against Bryan College (Tenn.) on Friday and Tennessee Wesleyan today, with the latter contest slated to begin at 11 a.m.

SOCCER

Lowman at Lees-McRae

Haley Lowman (Draughn 2021) has played in all five matches (four starts) for the Bobcats (2-2-1, 1-0-1 NCAA Division II Conference Carolinas), and thus far the senior forward has two goals and has taken nine shots, six of which she has put on goal.

Lees-McRae visits North Greenville (S.C.) today at 3:30 p.m.

Ollis at Pfeiffer

Kaylee Ollis (Freedom 2022) has started all five matches to begin her junior season as a goalkeeper for the Falcons (2-3), playing 405 of a possible 450 minutes.

During her time between the pipes, Ollis has made 34 saves and allowed 11 goals (2.44 per match). She was looking to help Pfeiffer end a three-match losing streak when it visited Bob Jones (S.C.) on Friday.

Castrejon, Diaz at Sweet Briar

A pair of former Draughn players are teammates again with the Vixens (2-1), as freshman defender/midfielder Yadira Castrejon (Draughn 2024) and sophomore midfielder Alexis Diaz (Draughn 2023) have both appeared in each of the first three matches, with Castrejon starting all three and Diaz making two starts.

Castrejon is one of two Sweet Briar players tied for the team lead with two goals, while Diaz has one goal and one assist. In addition, all six of Castrejon’s shots have been shots on goal, with Diaz taking nine shots including six shots on goal.

The Vixens hosted Salem College on Friday before visiting Trinity Washington on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

Powell at Salem

Junior defender Serenity Powell (East Burke 2022) has appeared in four matches (two starts) for the Spirits (3-2), playing 269 total minutes for a team that has allowed two goals or fewer in four contests and has twice limited the opposition to a single goal.

Salem traveled to Sweet Briar on Friday before hosting Southern Virginia on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

CROSS COUNTRY

Clay at Catawba

Madison Clay (Patton 2022) started her junior season by helping the 20th-ranked Indians (NCAA Division II) win the Catawba Invite at Salisbury Community Park, finishing second overall on the women’s side behind teammate Hannah Caudill.

Clay completed the race in a time of 18:38.30, and she returns to action today when Catawba travels to Spartanburg, S.C., for the Converse Invitational. The meet is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at Milliken Research Park.

FOOTBALL

Mast at Averett

Through the first two games for the Cougars (2-0), sophomore safety Ben Mast (East Burke 2023) has nine tackles (T-fifth on team) including four solo stops and a tackle for loss.

Averett hosts Ferrum tonight at 6 p.m.

Abernathy at Guilford

John Robert Abernathy (Draughn 2023) is handling the punting duties for the Quakers (2-0) as a sophomore, having punted 12 times for 377 yards (31.42 average) with a long of 42, a touchback, and two punts that have forced opposing teams to begin drives inside their own 20-yard line, including one that pinned Greensboro College at its own 1 in a 14-0 road win to begin the season.

Guilford welcomes Sewanee to Armfield Athletic Center for homecoming today at 1 p.m.