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- Parkersburg’s Ava Sayre units a ball throughout a Class AAAA, South Region highschool volleyball recreation (Photo by Tim Stephens)
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- Parkersburg’s Kennedy Porter hits a shot over the online through the Class AAAA, South Region volleyball event Monday at Cabell Midland High School in Ona. (Photo by Tim Stephens)
Parkersburg’s Ava Sayre units a ball throughout a Class AAAA, South Region highschool volleyball recreation (Photo by Tim Stephens)
ONA — As did the Dodgers to the Blue Jays in the World Series, as did Lucy to Charlie Brown with a soccer, Cabell Midland teased Parkersburg.
The Knights (43-5) fell behind the Big Reds (20-17) significantly earlier than storming again to win 3-0 Monday in the WVSSAC Class AAAA South Region volleyball event on the Castle.
The 25-21, 25-23, 25-16 victory propels Cabell Midland to the state event Nov. 11-13 on the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center.
“I’m thrilled, absolutely thrilled,” Knights first-year coach Emily Gaskins mentioned. “These girls have worked so hard all year. You can’t convince me there’s another team that wants this more.”
The Big Reds, who enter the losers bracket of the double-elimination event, appeared to need it, too, particularly early in every set. Parkersburg led 8-2 in the primary set, 7-1 in the second and 6-5 in the third.
Parkersburg’s Kennedy Porter hits a shot over the online through the Class AAAA, South Region volleyball event Monday at Cabell Midland High School in Ona. (Photo by Tim Stephens)
“Yeah, I don’t know what that was about,” Cabell Midland senior Jilly Yost mentioned, with fun.
Whatever it was, Parkersburg was pleased to have the lead.
“We just couldn’t put it away,” Parkersburg coach Tammy Fisher mentioned. “We had a hard time putting it away.”
The Big Reds will play Hurricane, Oak Hill or Buckhannon-Upshur on Wednesday for a visit to the state event.
In the opening set, Lucy Johnson made a kill to start out Cabell Midland’s comeback from six factors down. Katie Lawson’s smash to the again line gave the Knights a 13-12 lead they by no means relinquished. Cabell Midland prolonged the benefit to 6 factors on a Lawson ace.
Parkersburg drew inside 24-21, however Johnson secured the ultimate level.
The Big Reds jumped to a 7-1 lead in the second set earlier than Yost’s kill sparked a 10-4 run to offer the Knights the lead. Cabell Midland prolonged the margin to seven factors on an ace by Payton Bowyer, solely to see Parkersburg rally inside 24-23 on some extent by Kelina Utietiang. Lawson, although, scored the set-winner for a 2-0 lead.
Parkersburg led 6-5 in the third set after Layke Smith deftly dropped a shot between Knights defenders. A pair of hitting errors, although, erased the lead and the Knights went on a 13-2 run to take management.
The Big Reds whittled the deficit to 6 factors however pulled no nearer.
“Parkersburg came to play today,” Gaskins mentioned. “They were very aggressive from the start. I didn’t expect anything less. Tammy’s a great coach. You know when you play Parkersburg you’re going to get good volleyball.”
Gaskins complimented the Big Reds’ Kennedy Porter.
“She tore us up today,” Gaskins mentioned. “She was phenomenal.”
A pair of particular person accomplishments highlighted the match. Cabell Midland’s Carley Brewster recorded her five hundredth profession dig. Parkersburg setter Ava Sayre made her 1,000th profession help.
“We didn’t know until the end, so we didn’t get to celebrate,” Fisher mentioned. “We’re pretty excited about her doing that.”
Gaskins mentioned she was thrilled for Brewster, who performed three seasons at Huntington High earlier than becoming a member of the Knights.
“I’m so proud of her,” Gaskins mentioned. “She’s been such an asset to us this season. To have her her senior year and have her hit this milestone with us is so exciting. We’re happy to celebrate that with her.”