Only two Jefferson District teams have been able to take sets from the Albemarle volleyball team. Last week Powhatan gave the Patriots a real test in a 3-2 victory. On Tuesday in the regular season finale for both, Western Albemarle was able to give Albemarle a good run early before the Patriots pulled away 3-1, 27-25, 25-16, 25-17, 25-14.
“You couldn’t schedule this any better,” said Albemarle coach Mark Ragland. “I mean maybe on one hand maybe it would have been nicer on senior night to have an easier opponent, you’d worry less, you’d be able to get more playing time for all your seniors, but with the playoffs around the corner you couldn’t ask for a better opponent to get us ready.”
With Abigail Johnson missing because of injury, Lilly Davis and Caitlyn Driver picked up the work load up front and were solid out of the gate. The Warriors got of to a strong start, going up 4-2 before forcing a Patriots timeout at 10-3. Western was able to maintain its healthy lead and go up 15-6 before Albemarle got to work. The Patriots trailed 19-8 before embarking on a 12-3 run capped with a block from Esther Amos to make it a 23-20 game and force a Warriors timeout. Western got to game points at 24-21, but an amazing defensive play from Bridget Pinnata kept Albemarle in it allowing them to serve their own set point at 25-24. The Warriors hung tough though and took the next three points with an error deciding the game 27-25 in the visitors favor.
“It’s not easy to come out in their gym and play like that,” said Western coach Julie Radlinksi. “For us to come out with that kind of energy was impressive and that was a goal of ours all season, to start a match like this with that kind of spark.”
In the second game there was very little separation between the two with things tied up at 5-5 and Albemarle leading at 10-8. A 7-4 run from the Patriots forced a timeout from the Warriors as they trailed 17-12. Albemarle wouldn’t relent though, a 5-2 run out of the timeout led by Avani Hopkins put the Patriots up 22-14. They were able to close out the second set at 25-16 to tie things at 1-1.
“I think the key to managing those last three sets was that we made such a big run in that first one,” Ragland said. “When you dig yourself out of a hole it really does something for you. I think we were just too amped up early but our passing lanes opened up and then our hitters settling in and when that happens I think everyone sees we can do a lot of different things and play a very high level.”
The pivotal third set saw plenty of back and forth with the Patriots racing out to a 7-1 start only to have the Warriors answer with a 7-2 run to make it a 10-8 game in Albemarle’s favor. The Patriots were able to take three in a row from there to force a Western timeout. Albemarle took a 20-12 lead on a kill from Adalee Lynch. Western was able to get to within six behind Sarah Rhea but the Patriots closed the door at 25-17 behind a varied attack orchestrated by Kiera Roach to take a 2-1 advantage with a closing kill from freshman Maya Winterhoff.
“Kiera is really diverse as a setter and so I think a lot of teams have no idea what she’s going to do with each set,” Lynch said. “It’s really great, I mean even our offense doesn’t really know what she’s thinking, what she’s going to do but we’re all ready for our turn.”
Albemarle saved its best for the fourth set. The Patriots got seven straight service points from Lynch to turn a 6-4 lead into a much more comfortable 13-6 advantage. A 5-2 run from there put the Patriots up by double digits. Albemarle finished with match with a 25-14 win thanks to an ace from Lynch followed by a kill from Hopkins.
“As soon as we got calmed down after the senior night stuff, I feel like we settled in,” Hopkins said. “Sometimes for us that’s followed by a spike of confidence, sometimes not, but tonight it was definitely there. I know I felt it. After we got that confidence going we all just went after it.”
On the night, Lynch and Hopkins led the way with 13 kills. Amos chipped in another 10 while Winterhoff added nine. Keira Roach had a busy night with 45 assists to go with 11 digs. Pinnata led the defense with 19 digs.
For Western, Rhea and Driver had a team best nine kills each. Sierra McCance put up 35 assists. Amber Parker had seven digs. Amelia Nichols had four aces to go with six digs.
Western will play host to either Fluvanna County or Monticello in the Region 3C opponent. Albemarle, the top seed in Region 5A, awaits its opponent.
