Duke University's volleyball team will host a free volleyball clinic for middle school girls in grades 4-6 on Monday in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Open to players of all skill levels, the clinic will start with an open
practice session from 3 to 4:30 p.m. that will allow participants to
watch the Blue Devils practice.

Then, Duke players and coaches will be on hand from 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. to provide instruction as campers go through drills.

2008 Tri-Eight All- Conference Volleyball Awards & All-Conference Team

Coach of the Year: Nikki O'Connell, Apex

Player of the Year: Jennifer Hindman, Green Hope

Kris Harris, Apex

Alston Kearns, Apex

Cameron Shirley, Apex

Cori Spade , Athens Drive

Katie Bray, Athens Drive 

Kelsey Campbell, Cary

Carolina Salevan, Cary 

Christina Vucich, Green Hope

Ashley Meade, Green Hope 

Jennifer Hindman, Green Hope

Sarah Forgacs, Green Hope

Rachel Ruch, Middle Creek

Jill Edwards, Panther Creek 

Deanna Bost, Lee County

Adria Fecteau, Fuquay-Varina

Nicole Geesey, Fuquay-Varina

I've now been to two East Wake volleyball games, both of them have lasted more than two hours, gone into a fifth game, and the Warriors have held on for the win on both visits.

The match at Knightdale was just like the tennis match held at Knightdale the week before. Of course, Knightdale won the tennis match, not East Wake, the thought still applies. It lasted forever and was just another quality battle between the two neighboring schools — another one for the books. 

I witnessed a sparkle diminish in the unbelieving eyes of Knightdale's netters at the Lady Warriors dug themselves out of a sure loss that wasn't so sure in hindsight. Nine times out of 10 I could've left that gym and swore it was over, and then the team rallied for three straight games that were in no way freebies. If I were on that Warrior team down two games I would have been willing to bet money on Knightdale to finish the third game with equal ease. East Wake, rather than getting over emotional, seemed numb to the two-game Knight lead. And next thing you know, they're scoring in a "Hmm, how about that?" way, and they persevered.

It hurts my head to watch games like that. The real story on the game changed five times over the course of the night, and it's tough to talk to a coach in need of a first win that just gave up an odds-setting lead, then turn the other way and get the "I'm going to Disneyland" quote from the other. 

But just like Knightdale's Sally Combs said,"Kudos to East Wake." The Warriors proved what prep sports prove across the nation every week — anything and everything can happen.

BOYS' SOCCER

Middle Creek 4, West Johnston 1

Goals: WJO—Torres; MID—Halley, Unger, May, Keel.

Assists: WJO—Shelton; MID—Keel 2.

BOYS' SOCCER: THE HERALD CUP AT NORTH JOHNSTON

Clayton 11, Johnston Christian 0

Goals: H. Crocker 2, M. Gutowski 2, B. Gunter, C. Coats, J. Shaprio, D. Killane, C. Santiago, J. Hilburn, C. Jones.

Assists: C. Jones 2, G. Oliver 2, D. Lopez, J. Shapiro, H. Crocker, C. Coats, R. Killane.

Smithfield-Selma 3, North Johnston 2

Goals: SSS—E. Quardad, E. Pimentel, K. Turner; NJO—M. Cortes 2.

Assists: SSS—E. Pimentel; NJO—T. Phipps, G. Santos.

GIRLS TENNIS

Holly Springs 9, West Johnson 0

Singles: Johnson def. Reese 6-1, 7-5; Henke def. Rhodes 6-0, 6-0; Gazzard def. Langdon 6-0, 6-1; Brown def. Ahearn 6-2, 6-0; Kanady def. Shearin 6-0, 6-0; Burda def.
Ennis 6-0, 6-0

Doubles: Johnson and Henke def. Reese and Rhodes 8-2; Henegar and Cromer def. Shearin and Ennis 8-4; Brown and Kanady def. Langdon and Ahearn (default).

Smithfield-Selma 7, East Wake 2

Singles: Esquerra (SSS) def.
A. Beaver 6-2, 6-4; Juarez (SSS) def. Joseph 6-3, 6-1; Barnes (SSS) def. Piner 6-3, 6-3; Ijames (SSS) def. Duke 6-1, 4-6, 6-2; Howell (SSS) def. Williford 6-1, 6-2; Braswell (SSS) def. Cannon 6-4, 6-2.

Doubles:
Juarez and Barnes (SSS) def. Beaver and Joseph 9-8 (8-6); Piner and Duke (EWK) def. Tobin and Stevens 8-5; Williford and Cannon (EW) def. Youngblood and Horne 8-2.

Clayton 9, Garner 0

Singles: Singletary def. Jordan 6-3, 6-1; Wiedmann def. McDowell 6-4, 6-4; Littmann def. Curtis 6-3, 6-1; Fournier def. Nickalson 6-0, 6-2; Edwards def. Jewell 6-3, 6-2; Durham def. Chalk 6-1, 6-2.

Doubles: Singletary and Wiedmann def. Jordan and McDowell 8-1; Fournier and Durham def. Curtis and Jewell 8-2; Littmann and Morrison def. Nickalson and Chalk 8-5.

VOLLEYBALL

Princeton def. Midway, 24-26, 26-24, 25-20, 25-22.

North Johnston def. Franklinton 25-18, 24-26, 25-10, 25-14.

Durham Trinity will be at home for a volleyball game for the first time on Thursday when the Lions play Durham Academy.

 
Trinity recently completed the construction of a new gymnasium, part of Trinity  School’s multi-phased growth plan.

The preview of fall high school sports will be in The News & Observer this Sunday, Aug. 17.

 The preview will include all fall sports except for football. The football preview will be in Tuesday's High School Huddle.

The fall sports preview has teams and players to watch for the upcoming season, plus some additional information on area boys soccer teams. 

AP photo

Beach volleyball stars Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, gold medalists in Athens four years ago and three-time reigning world champions, play a live second-round match against a team from Cuba NBC's evening broadcast.

The pair have won 63 straight matches after Sunday's first-round win over a team from Japan. They are the tournament's top seed.

Treanor made news Saturday when President Bush visited the beach volleyball venue.

She invited the President to smack her bikini-clad bottom for luck, but he refused, going for the lower back instead.

— Mike Persinger