CARY - Apex's volleyball team has long played with a target on its back as a state power ruling the Tri-Nine Conference, but this year has been different since a loss last month to Green Hope.

After the Cougars saw their 48-match conference winning streak snapped, Apex's players find themselves with an added dimension to that target they've long lugged around for so long.

The Cougars no longer have room for error if coach Nikki O'Connell's team hopes to avenge its loss to Green Hope for a chance to salvage at least a co-championship.

But with that pressure, the Cougars again revealed their growing maturity in a 25-12, 25-18 and 25-23 sweep of Cary Thursday night at at the Imps' gym.

"I'm pleased with the way they're responding to the challenge,” O'Connell said. “We're a young team after losing seven seniors off last year's team. We start two freshmen and a sophomore. I've never done that in my five years of coaching.”

With the win, Apex improved 11-2 overall and 9-1 in the Tri-Nine while preparing to travel to Green Hope's gym for the rematch on Sept. 29.

O'Connell's team may be young overall, but she said she's receiving vital senior leadership needed from Megan Gravley, Monica McMahon and Lexie Ament.

"We took the loss to Green Hope as a building block,” Gravley said. “We came back to practice and worked hard. We're a young team, but we've bonded closely on and off the court. We're coming together.”

And Gravley, a 5-11 outside hitter bound for Elon, is mixing in dominant play with her court generalship.

"She has been phenomenal on offense and defense,” O'Connell said. “She's not only our go-to player on the court, she's the emotional piece that keeps our chemistry together. She helps out with the other players.”

Gravley finished with 20 kills to lead the Cougars. Megan Hooks' kill total was only five, but each one was timely to stemming a Cary rally.

"This was a hard-fought match,” O'Connell said. “The Cary fans were loud, crazy and very supportive. We haven't seen that and we got a little rattled in the second game. But we came back and then we closed them out in the third game. We've struggled in the third games putting people away, so we accomplished that goal.”

By sweeping Cary, Apex has swept won eight of its nine Tri-Nine wins. Other than the loss to Green Hope, only Fuquay-Varina has taken a game in Apex's 3-1 victory.

In the Cary match, the Imps were beaten quickly in the first game before threatening wins in the second and third games.

In the second game, Cary was playing Apex evenly and edged ahead 12-11 before Apex outscored the Imps 14-6 the rest of the way.

In the third game, Cary took a 7-2 lead, but Apex's Ament served six straight points for an 8-7 lead. The Imps still led as late as 23-20 before Apex scored the final five points to complete sweep.

Cary, led by 16 kills from Erin Harwood, dropped to 9-5 overall and 5-5 in the Tri-Nine.

“We played scared, and you can't win when you play scared,” Cary coach Philip Goodloe said. “We can hang with anybody, but we can't finish. We went five games with Green Hope. It's a mental thing for us.”