Chelsea Completes South Sweep with 3-0 Quarterfinal Win over Cullman as 54th Elite 8 Begins

October 30, 2024

CLASS 6A VOLLEYBALL QUARTERFINALS

By Josh Bean | For the AHSAA

BIRMINGHAM – Lauren Buchanan tallied 21 kill and eight digs to lead Chelsea (37-13) to a straight-set victory over Cullman in the Class 6A volleyball quarterfinals as the 54th AHSAA Elite 8 State Volleyball Championships began Tuesday at the Birmingham CrossPlex with the Class 6A competition.

Pelham, Gulf Shores and Spanish Fort also posted first-round wins as the South Super Regional qualifiers swept the North.

Alexis Rudolph added 13 kills, three aces, two digs and two blocks for Chelsea, which seeking its first-ever state volleyball title. Sophia Bagley contributed 15 digs, and Cara Belcher added 41 assists and three digs. Lila Willett had three kills and two aces as Chelsea won 25-18, 25-10, 25-17.

Cullman (23-25), coached by Amy Hudson, got seven kills and five digs from Ava Ray and six kills apiece from Karina Harris and Blakely Brannon. Livi Smith had 13 digs, and Olivia Dover added 20 assists.

Chelsea, coached by Jamie Gill, advances to the semifinals later today to face Spanish Fort at 4 p.m. The Class 6A championship match is set for Wednesday at 10 a.m., at Bill Harris Arena at the CrossPlex. All matches are being video live streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based platform. Instructions are available at www.nfhsnetwork.com

Hazel Green’s Alana Allison (17) leaps high for a shot as Spanish Fort’s Taylor Ishmael (10) and Zoe Beech (8) defends. (AHSAA PHOTO | David Holtsford)(AHSAA PHOTO)

In the other three Class 6A quarterfinal matches:

Pelham 3, Jasper 0: Camryn McMinn tallied 18 kills, nine digs and two blocks to lead the Panthers (36-13) to a 25-21, 25-12, 25-20 victory. Londyn Wynn added 13 kills and five digs for Pelham, coached by Perry Robinson. Kylee Hester added 41 assists, seven digs and four aces, and Kamryn Rouveyrolhad 19 digs.

Jasper (32-21), coached by Kellye Bowen, did not report any statistics.

GULF SHORES 3, BUCKHORN 1: Sophia Sobel led the Dolphins (27-19) with 16 kills in a 19-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-13 victory. Gulf Shores, coached by Ryan Gravlee, also got 18 digs from Kallyn McComb, six kills and four blocks form Victoria McFarland, 33 assists from setter Alexis Tetreau and five kills and 11 assists from Macey Moore.

For Buckhorn (44-17), coached by Dena Clemons, Presley Adams led the offense with 10 kills, while Addison Layne recorded 24 assists and 23 digs.

SPANISH FORT 3, HAZEL GREEN 0: Spanish Fort (58-10) earned a straight set victory over Hazel Green (42-10), winning 25-17, 25-21, 25-18. The Toros, coached by Gretchen Boykin, got 14 kills and 12 digs from Zoe Beech and 12 kills from Natalie Maxwell. Cailyn Boykin had 34 assists, while Taylor Ishmael added nine digs, seven kills and five aces.

Hazel Green, coached by Coco Tate Crutcher, did not report any statistics.

Featured Image: Chelsea’s Alesix Rudolph (5) leaps high to deliver a kill in the Hornets’ win over Gulf Shores at the Elite 8 State Volleyball Championships. (David Holtsford | AHSAA Photo)