CHOCOWINITY — The Southside volleyball team snapped its two-game losing streak with a victory over Tarboro yesterday, defeating the Vikings in four sets, 25-18, 25-21, 18-25, 25-22.

The victory was Southside’s (6-6, 2-2 1A Coastal Plains Conference) second of the season over Tarboro (1-11, 0-6 1A CPC), after the Seahawks defeated the Vikings on Sept. 4. Southside started out yesterday’s matchup on the front foot, taking an early lead in the first set at 6-4. The Seahawks stretched their lead to eight points, at 19-11, and held out to take the first set at 25-18.

It was Tarboro that came out flying in the second set, going up 9-3 before Southside head coach Atyana Starkie called a timeout. Spurred by the words of their coach, the Seahawks stormed back to take the lead at 13-12. Southside and Tarboro went back and forth for the remainder of the set exchanging the lead twice, but the Seahawks eventually prevailed, 25-21.

The third set played out rather similarly as the second, with the Vikings starting out with the lead, Southside rallying to get back into it and the two teams exchanging the lead several times in the latter portions of the set. The difference was it was Tarboro that made plays at the end to win the third set, including hitting three aces.

The fourth set finished with the closest score, but it was also the only set that Southside led from start to finish. The Seahawks built their biggest lead of the fourth set at 21-15, thanks to a Hannah Ashby ace, but Tarboro rallied to come within two points at 24-22. But all hopes of a Viking comeback were dashed when Jacqueline Wood hit the winner.

Despite picking up the victory, Starkie wasn’t satisfied with her team’s performance.

“I would say, especially after that first set when we won it, we got comfortable,” Starkie said. “I tell them, I said ‘take every point like it’s game point, and it is not over until that very last point on that very last set.’ Especially in the third set, we got way too comfortable.”

Southside will go for two wins in a row next Tuesday, when it hosts Pamlico County at 4:30 p.m.