Reigning State Champ Pleasant Valley Moves into the 2A Semifinals
CLASS 2A VOLLEYBALL QUARTERFINALS
By Josh Bean | For the AHSAA
BIRMINGHAM – Reigning state volleyball champion Pleasant Valley swept past Horseshoe Bend in the Class 2A volleyball quarterfinals at the 54th AHSAA Elite 8 State Volleyball Championships Tuesday at the Birmingham CrossPlex, winning 25-21, 25-14, 25-12.
Pleasant Valley (23-18), coached by Jennifer Mann, is trying to win its second straight state title and seventh overall. The Raiders advance to the semifinals, scheduled to start Tuesday at 4 p.m., to play Mars Hill Bible. The Panthers beat Tuscaloosa Academy. The North swept the quarterfinals with Winston County and Lindsay Lane Academy winning the other first-round matches.
Lily Henry, a senior, led the Pleasant Valley with 21 digs, 13 kills, four aces and three blocks, and Madison Schwabe had 17 digs and seven kills. Ellie Patterson added eight kills and seven blocks, and Ella Parris has six kills and seven blocks for the Raiders. Setter Elise Wheeler handed out 30 assists to go with two blocks.
Kenzie Woods led Horseshoe Bend (17-6) with five kills, and Greenleigh Key added four kills and three digs. Jacey Johnson and Lily Moss had seven assists apiece for Horseshoe Bend, coach by Hagen Whiteard.
In other Class 2A quarterfinal matchups:
Winston County 3, G.W. Long 1: Lynleigh Cobb finished with 32 kills as Winston County, the fourth seed from the north, knocked off South Super Regional champ G.W. Long 26-28 25-14, 25-12 25-23. Marli Stewart handed out 47 assists and served two aces for the Yellow Jackets (39-13), coached byTiffany Cole Horne. Anna Parrish added 10 kills and two aces, and Jaylee Calloway had eight kills and seven digs.
Anna Claire Free led G.W. Long with 18 kills, three blocks and 12 digs, and Kaylie Joseph added 17 kills and three blocks. Sawyer Hughes had 40 assists for the Rebels (35-10), coached by Craig Long.
Lindsey Lane, 3, Washington County 0: Lydia Carter tallied 17 kills and 11 digs to lead the Lions (43-15) to a 25-20, 25-11, 25-18 victory.
Kaylin Jones added 12 kills, nine digs and six aces for Lions, and Riley Green added 33 assists, 10 digs and four aces. Millie Lewis contributed seven kills, and Lily Jackson had seven digs.
For Washington County (19-8), coached by Farrah Warr, Mia White filled the stat sheet with 11 assists, 10 digs and four kills, and Maddie McKinleyadded 10 kills. Rylee Snow had nine digs, and Emma Richardson added 10 digs.
Mars Hill 3, Tuscaloosa Academy 0: Kadence Rolston tallied 14 kills, seven digs and two blocks to lead the Panthers (38-11) to a 25-10, 25-16, 25-13 victory.
Kate Jones added 23 assists, two aces, three digs and two blocks for Mars Hill, which is chasing its first volleyball state championship. Mollie Wright had seven kills.
Tuscaloosa Academy (13-11), coached by Casey Macander, did not provide post-game statistics.
AHSAA ELITE EIGHT
STATE VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Birmingham CrossPlex
Oct. 29-31
CLASS 6A
Gulf Shores (27-19) 3, Buckhorn (44-17) 1 (19-25), 25-19, 25-13, 25-13)
Pelham (36-14) 3, Jasper (32-21) 0 (25-21, 35-12, 25-20)
Chelsea (37-13) 3, Cullman (23-25) 0 (25-18, 25-10, 25-17)
Spanish Fort (58-10) 3, Hazel Green (42-10) 0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-18)
SEMIFINALS
Gulf Shores (27-19) vs. Pelham (36-4), Tues., 4 p.m.
Chelsea (37-13) vs. Spanish Fort (58-10), Tues., 4 p.m.
CLASS 2A
Pleasant Valley (23-18) 3, Horseshoe Bend (17-6) 0 (25-10, 25-14, 25-12)
Mars Hill Bible (38-11) 3, Tuscaloosa Academy (13-11) 0 (25-10, 25-16, 25-13)
Winston County (39-13) 3, G.W. Long (35-10) 1 (26-28, 25-14, 25-12, 25-23)
Lindsay Lane (43-15) 3, Washington County (19-8) 0 (25-20, 25-11, 25-18)
Semifinals
Pleasant Valley 23-18) vs. Mars Hill Bible (38-11), Tues., 4 p.m.
Winston County (39-13) vs. Lindsay Lane (43-15), Tues., 4 p.m.
Featured Image: Winston County’s Lizzy Bass (1) and G.W. Long’s Kaylie Joseph (22) battle at the net in the Class 2A quarterfinals. (AHSAA PHOTO | David Holtsford)
