Dons headed back to state tourney
Madonna rallies back to win second-straight regional title
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WEIRTON – The Madonna volleyball team had plenty of reasons to celebrate Saturday, while Halloween turned into a nightmare for Magnolia.
The Blue Eagles led the Madonna, 2-0, and were up 23-19 in the third set when Blue Dons’ head coach Jaedyn Hissam called a match-changing timeout. The girls from Wetzel County found themselves just two points away from advancing to the state tournament, however, the girls in white stormed back and eventually completed the improbable comeback as No. 2 seed Madonna rallied past No. 3 seed Magnolia, 18-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-10, 15-10, in a West Virginia Class A Region 1 Con-Final on Joanna Bernabei-McNamee Court inside the Bill Barrett Gymnasium.) has a
With the win, Madonna (23-12) has advance to the state tournament for the second-straight season. The state tournament is slated to be held Nov. 10-12 down at the Charleston Civic Center.
With the loss, Magnolia ended the season with a record of 15-12.
Down by four points and with the visitors just two points away from advancing to the state tournament, the girls from Hancock County came alive at the best possible time.
Following Hissam’s timeout, Madonna scored the next three times to pull within 23-22, causing Magnolia head coach Pam Chapman to call a timeout to try and stem the tide, however, she was not successful as the hosts went on to score the final three points of the set to win the set by two points to stay alive in the match.
The momentum Madonna built at the end of the third set carried over into the fourth as the Blue Dons pulled away from the girls in blue as they were able to build a commanding, 19-6 lead. The Blue Eagles attempted to stage a rally of their own, however, Magnolia was only able to get within nine points the rest of the way as Madonna captured the set by 10 points to level the match at 2 forcing a deciding fifth set.
By rule, the fifth set is played to 15 points instead of the usual 25, so it is imperative for teams to get off to a good start in it if they wish to prevail.
Madonna got off to a good start as the Blue Dons built a 5-1 advantage, however, Magnolia responded as the Blue Eagles tallied the next four points to draw even in the set resulting in Hissam calling a timeout. The home team scored the first point following the timeout to regain the lead, however, the Blue Eagles answered right back to once again even the score at 6.
The outcome was still in doubt, however, that would quickly change as the Blue Dons tallied the next four points to take a 10-6 lead forcing Chapman to call a timeout to settle her team down. The move worked at first as the Blue Eagles battled back and closed to within three points at 11-8, however, the Blue Dons once again responded and built a five point advantage at 13-8 before winning the set by five to win the set and the match completing a comeback for the ages.
The first two sets were back-and-forth before Magnolia was able to pull away down the stretch in both enabling the Blue Eagles to build a 2-0 lead in the match.
Madonna scored the first point of the match in the opening set, however, Magnolia came back and was the first to the five-point mark. Then, the Blue Dons answered with its first run of the match as they took a 12-7 lead on the serve of Breea Birkhimer. With her team down by five points, Chapman called a timeout. The tactic worked as her team was able to right the ship as the Blue Eagles stormed back and pulled to within forcing Hissam to call a timeout.
The timeout proved not to be successful as Magnolia ended up building an 18-16 advantage on the serve of Hallee Beisel. Madonna pulled to within 18-17, however, the Blue Eagles ended the set on a 7-1 as a kill by Isabella Sockman ended the set giving Magnolia a 1-0 lead in the match.
The Blue Eagles scored the first point in the second set, and they rallied to be the first team to five points. Magnolia ended up building an 8-4 lead on the serve of Mia Longwell. Madonna answered back with a run of its own as the Blue Dons battled back and pulled even at 11 on the serve of Sophie Brady as Chapman called a timeout.
Madonna ended up taking a 17-15 lead in the set, however, Magnolia answered right back with four points of their own to regain the lead at 19-17 forcing Hissam to call a timeout. The Blue Eagles scored the next point following the timeout to increase their advantage out to three points. Magnolia then extended its advantage to 22-18 causing Hissam to call her second timeout of the set.
The Blue Dons scored the next two points to cut their deficit down to 22-20, however, the Blue Eagles scored the next three points – the last coming on a kill by Karli Warder to win the set by three points to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Magnolia kept the momentum on its side early in the third set as it scored five of the first six points in the set to build a 5-1 advantage. The Blue Eagles took an 8-3 lead before leading 11-5 later on in the set.
Needing to respond in a big way, the Blue Dons were able to just that as the victors countered with six-straight points to draw even at 11. Chapman called a timeout with the score at 11-8, but she was not able to slow down Madonna.
The Blue Eagles scored to regain the lead as the two teams traded points. Magnolia then got the better of the play as it built a 17-13 lead causing Hissam to call her first timeout of the set. The Blue Eagles then led 19-15 before the Blue Dons fought back and closed to within 20-19.
Magnolia answered with the next three points forcing Hissam to call her match-saving timeout with her team down by four points and the Blue Eagles just two points away from Charleston.
The match was the last one for Magnolia’s two seniors – Kiera Dowler and McKenzy Longwell.
Madonna advanced to the regional final by defeating Clay-Battelle, 3-1, in the semifinals Thursday at home, while Magnolia swept Parkersburg Catholic the same night at home.
The regional co-final was the second meeting of the season between the two OVAC schools. The two teams competed in a tri-match along with St. Marys Sept. 14 at Magnolia. The Blue Dons defeated the Blue Eagles, 2-1, in that match.