MERRY HILL – Ridgecroft swept Northeast Academy in three sets to advance to the second round of the Tarheel Independent Conference volleyball tournament.

Tuesday’s match pitted the number two seeded Lady Rams against the seventh seeded Lady Eagles in their third meeting of the season.

Northeast kept it close in the first set until Shirley Lee Spruill stepped up to serve.

Behind Spruill’s serve, the Lady Rams scored nine points to take a 15-7 lead.

Northeast tried to come back.

The Eagles struggled to return the serve during the set, often hitting the ball out of bounds or into the net.

Several times players failed to get in position and miscommunication cost Northeast several opportunities.

After taking a 19-11 lead, Lady Ram Kendra Godwin served for four points, including three serves that were not returned. After a long volley Lauren Lilley had a kill for the other Rams point.

Ridgecroft went on to take the first set, 25-12.

The Lady Rams took control of most of the second set.

The Lady Eagles missed a number of serves and continued struggling to keep the ball in bounds.

Godwin scored the final eight points for Ridgecroft as they took the second set, 25-8.

Ridgecroft took a 19-6 lead in the third set.

The Eagles tried to get back in the game, scoring three consecutive points behind Danielle Hallman’s serve.

It wasn’t enough as the Eagles fell, 25-12.

Seniors Jessica Duncan and Caroline Carrothers each had an ace for Northeast.

Callie Burgess had one kill and Hallman had a kill and a dig.

&uot;Where they are from two years ago is 100 percent improvement,&uot; said Northeast head coach Cap Pfeiffer.

&uot;Getting beat the way we do and still showing up speaks highly of these girls.&uot;

&uot;I have a lot of respect for Nancy Brittenham because other schools try to run the score up.

Even though they could, Nancy doesn’t.

I appreciate that,&uot; Pfieffer added.

Godwin led Ridgecroft with 16-of-17 on her serve, including seven aces, and three kills.

Setter Jo Revelle Murray had 10 assists and two aces.

Lilley set for nine assists and added one kill and one tip.

&uot;I thought we played well and communicated well,&uot; said Brittenham.

&uot;We played much better as far as talking to each other.&uot;