Swansboro Pirates Sweep East Carteret in Season Opener

SWANSBORO, N.C. — The Swansboro Pirates opened the 2026 volleyball season with a decisive 3-0 non-conference victory over the East Carteret Mariners on Monday evening.

Swansboro took the match by scores of 25-19, 25-19 and 25-18. The Pirates improved to 1-0 while East Carteret fell to 0-1.

The home team controlled the match from the start, outscoring the Mariners in every set. Swansboro finished with a clear edge in overall production, recording 33 kills to East Carteret’s 21, 32 assists to 19, and 43 digs to 38. The Pirates also held a slight advantage in service aces (7-6).

Reese Hislop led the Swansboro attack with 13 kills and a strong .440 hitting percentage. Evelyn Dunham added five kills and two total blocks, while Kelsi Daniels contributed an efficient performance at the net.

For East Carteret, Paisley Simpson paced the offense with eight kills. Macy Nelson added seven kills and hit .312. On the defensive end, Ashley Mintz recorded a team-high 15 digs, and K.J. Bass contributed 12 digs along with three service aces. Setter Kolby Piner distributed 17 assists, and freshman Gracelyn Long added three total blocks.

Swansboro will look to build on the strong start when it faces White Oak on Tuesday. East Carteret turns its attention to a matchup against West Carteret.