GATESVILLE – Gates County’s strong volleyball tradition lies on a fairly young squad this season.

As the youngsters grow and learn, the team is likely to improve as the year goes along. Last week, the Lady Barons played just their second match of the season and came up short in straight sets to 2-A Pasquotank County High School. The Lady Panthers won 25-10, 27-25 and 25-9.

In the first set, Gates County got off to a sluggish start and Pasquotank built an 11-2 advantage before the Red Barons got a defensive stop and then a serving point from Grace Wiggins to close to 11-4.

Kierra Ballard added a serving point moments later and then Raquel Hewitt had a kill and a point on her serve as Gates County closed to within 17-8.

Unfortunately for the home team, that was as close as the set would get and Pasquotank went on to the 25-10 victory.

In the second game of the match, Gates County came out firing early and held a 2-1 lead after Lauren Burgess recorded a serving point. The match stayed close with Kionna Hamiel adding a key point to tie the match at 3-all. The teams went back and forth point after point with Janaiah Edwards adding a kill that tied the score again, this time at nine.

Pasquotank began pulling ahead and took a two-point lead (17-15) later in the set, but a kill from Addison Cochran and another by Edwards helped Gates County rally to tie the match at 18-all on  a serve from Burgess.

The teams continued to exchange points until a Ballard kill gave Gates a 22-21 lead late in the match.

The Lady Red Barons took a 24-22 lead thanks to a serve by Lauren Wagoner, but couldn’t close out the set. Pasquotank came back and edged the home team 27-25.

Gates couldn’t shake off the loss of the second set as the third one started and Pasquotank jumped out to a 20-4 lead and never looked back, going on to win 25-9.