Lady Canes prepare for post-season with Hilton Head tournament success

September 30, 2025

Jada Zimmerman and Riley Huff at the net for the Lady Canes.

Cartersville volleyball won seven consecutive matches over the weekend to capture the 14th annual Hilton Head Island Bash. The competition was held at Hilton Head Island High School and the Hilton Head Island Recreation Center.

Cartersville had straight set victories over Bridges Prep (Beaufort, SC), Riverside (Greer, SC), Whale Branch (Beaufort, SC), Hilton Head Island, May River (Bluffton, SC), and South Effingham (Guyton, GA). Only St. Vincent’s, a single-A school in Savannah, took the Lady Canes to a third set.

In the win over Bridges Prep, Amara Ejieke had five kills and two blocks. Jada Zimmerman contributed seven kills and one block, while Riley Huff added three blocks. Mckenzie Wilkie totaled five digs, seven assists, and one ace. Emma Wall finished with two digs, seven assists, and four service aces.

Against Riverside, Zimmerman was credited with eight kills. Holly Dufrene totaled six kills and two blocks. Huff produced four kills and two blocks, while Ejieke added four kills. Wilkie had nine digs and three aces. Wall distributed 14 assists.

St. Vincent’s won the first set with Cartersville 25-22 before the Lady Canes rallied to win the match 25-13 and 15-9. Ejieke and Zimmerman each had 10 kills. Wilkie finished with 15 digs and three aces. Wall had 12 assists and two aces. Huff and Dufrene each contributed three kills and two blocks with Aubree Barrett adding 11 assists.

Cartersville leaders in the win over Whale Branch were Adelynn England and Ejieke with five kills. Zimmerman had four kills. Blakely Morris and Sydney Seigler had seven and three aces, respectively. Huff finished with four blocks and three kills on the front line. Wilkie contributed 10 digs, while Wall and Barrett added six assists.

Zimmerman and Ejieke led the Lady Canes front line with 10 and six kills, respectively in the win over Hilton Head Island. Huff added three blocks. Wilkie had 10 digs and three aces. Barrett produced 10 assists with two digs, and Wall had eight assists and four digs.

Huff (five blocks), Zimmerman (nine kills, one block), and Ejieke (four kills, five blocks) were strong up front for the Lady Canes in their win over May River. Barrett and Wall contributed 12 and 11 assists, respectively.

In Cartersville’s win over South Effingham, Zimmerman had eight kills. Huff, Dufrene, and Blakely Morris each contributed four kills. Huff added four blocks. Ejieke totaled two kills and two blocks, while Wall and Barrett distributed 12 and nine assists, respectively.

Before the Hilton Head tournament on Thursday, September 25, the Lady Canes lost a tough five-set match at Alpharetta,

Cartersville handed the Lady Raiders their only loss of the season back in early August and took the first two sets of the rematch, 25-20 and 25-23. Alpharetta seized momentum in the third set, 25-17, however, and won the final two sets, 25-23 and 15-9, improving to 31-1.

Ejieke had 12 kills and two blocks in the loss. Zimmerman had 11 kills and a block. Dufrene followed with nine kills and three blocks, while Huff added five blocks. Wilkie finished with 16 digs, four aces, and three assists. Seigler contributed eight digs and four aces. Wall totaled 22 assists, seven digs, and three aces. Barrett added six digs and 14 assists with an ace and one kill.

Cartersville (35-6) hosts McEachern, Christian Heritage, and Jonesboro on Tuesday beginning at 5 p.m. to wrap up regular-season play. The Lady Canes will be the No. 2 seed in the Region 7-4A tournament at Allatoona on October 7, 9, and 11.