NCHSAA 1A Volleyball State Championship Match: CSD takes second straight with straight sets win over Roxboro Community

	1	2	3
Community School of Davidson	25	25	26
Roxboro Community	19	15	24

The defending 1A State Champions, Community School of Davidson, entered the school’s second volleyball state championship match with only one loss on the season after graduating six seniors from last year’s squad. The Spartans picked up right where they left off in the State Championship match against Roxboro Community School, sliding through the first set 25-19. The Spartans reeled off seven straight points after falling behind 2-0 to the Bulldogs to open the set. Community School of Davidson didn’t look back from there.

Both sides played very nice defensive volleyball, as the entire match featured many long rallies and incredible defensive saves. Community School of Davidson rolled to a 25-15 set two victory as Sarah Labadorf capped it off with a service ace to put the Spartans up two sets to none. Labadorf was named the M.V.P. of the match. She finished the match with 4 kills, 32 assists, 2 aces, 8 digs and 2 blocks.

The Bulldogs fell behind 3-0 early in the third set, calling timeout and battling to take their largest lead of the match at 18-15. The two teams see-sawed back and forth, tying each other four more times as Roxboro Commuinty fought off two championship points to even the set at 24-24. Bella DiCristopharo slammed home a beautiful set to earn a third Championship point. Liza Mitchell swung one off a back-row player after a long rally to earn a second straight for Community School of Davidson championship.

Roxboro Community School finished their season 28-3, 12-0 as the champions of the North Central 1A Conference. The Bulldogs won their first Volleyball Regional Championship.

Community School of Davidson won their second straight State Championship in as many appearances all-time. The Spartans completed the season 22-1, 12-0 as the champions of the PAC 7 1A.

NCHSAA 2A Volleyball State Championship Match: Double dip, Carrboro battles back to win second straight

	1	2	3	4
West Iredell	15	25	20	18
Carrboro	25	17	25	25

Carrboro returned to the 2A State Championship game and came out ready to rock, with heavy hitters like Destiny Cox, last year’s Championship M.V.P., and Cameryn Ekeler dominating the match early. Cox and company overpowered West Iredell in the first set, running out to an 11-point lead with 10 set points before taking the set 25-15.

West Iredell bounced back in the second set, thanks to some great service play by Amber Wooten who helped the Warriors reel off a big run to take their first lead of the day. Lucy Ann Ferguson’s aggressive hitting also helped as the Warriors ripped off a 25-17 set win. The Warriors set win was only the third set dropped by the defending State Champion Jaguars all season as they dropped two sets to 3A Chapel Hill in early October.

After dropping just their third set of the season, Carrboro faced their greatest adversity of the year in the third set. The Warriors and Jaguars had see-sawed back and forth to an 11-all tie. That’s when a substation infraction was found, costing the Jaguars two points, giving West Iredell the lead 11-9. The Jaguars stormed back and ran off to a six-point lead, on their way to a 25-20 set-win.

The Jaguars continued to set Cox in the fourth set, and they pulled away to a 25-18 victory to claim their second straight State Championship. Carrboro finished the season unbeaten, extending their winning streak to 61-straight games without a loss. Cox was the M.V.P. for the second year in a row. She finished the match with 22 kills, 1 assist, 14 digs, and 3 service aces.

West Iredell won the Western Regional Championship for the first time in school history. The Warriors finished their season 27-3, 12-0 in the Northwestern Foothills 2A Conference where they were the champions. 

NCHSAA 3A Volleyball State Championship Match: North Iredell staves off Chapel Hill to win second volleyball championship in school history

	1	2	3	4	5
North Iredell	11	25	25	27	15
Chapel Hill	25	16	19	29	12

Last year’s state runners-up, Chapel Hill, jumped off to a much better start in the 2017 3A State Title game against North Iredell. The Tigers grabbed 11 of the first 12 points of the match, claiming the first set 25-11. North Iredell responded with just as much intensity in the next two sets, putting the Tigers on the ropes in the fourth set.

Ashley Hawkins powered the Raiders from her outside hitter position in the second and third set. She finished the match with 17 kills, many of them in the second and third sets where North Iredell cruised to victoriesHawkins was named the match M.V.P.

Chapel Hill and their big hitter Kaya Merkler, who sputtered during the second and third sets, came alive during the fourth, which was a back-and-forth affair. The Tigers faced five different Championship points, constantly going back to feeding Merkler, who got going to keep the match alive. They finally broke through to take a 29-27 fourth set victory and force a decisive set five.

North Iredell, saw the momentum swing back to Chapel Hill for the start of the final set. The Tigers held a 12-10 lead, 3 points away from an elusive state title, but they wouldn’t register another point. North Iredell ripped off five straight points to claim their first volleyball state championship

Chapel Hill finished the season 25-7, 14-0 in the Big 8 3A conference where they were the champions. They reached the State Championship match for the fifth time in school history.

North Iredell finished the season 28-2, 10-0 in the North Piedmont 3A where they were the champions. They claimed the school’s second Volleyball State Championship.

NCHSAA 4A Volleyball State Championship Match: Dowler duo lifts Green Hope to second straight championship, sweeping Hough

	1	2	3
Hough	14	24	19
Green Hope	25	26	25

Defending 4A State Champions Green Hope came out swinging in the first set, running off a 25-14 opening frame victory over Hough. The Falcons were led by the dynamic duo Sydney and Kayla Dowler who combined to set up most of the Green Hope attack on the night. Sydney Dowler, a sophomore, was the M.V.P. of last year’s 4A State Championship match and she had another great performance in this year’s title match, claiming the same M.V.P. honors. 

Hough made a valiant effort in the second set as the Huskies were able to take a small lead, midway through the frame. Then they survived three set points to even the score at 24 a piece. Green Hope rallied and Sydney Dowler lifted the Falcons back the lead with a twirling second-hit attack, surprising the Huskies and putting the Falcons in front 25-24. A tipped ball off a block ended the frame with Green Hope taking a 26-24 victory and two sets to none lead.

Hough stayed in it during the third set, but Green Hope steadily built a lead and had 5 championship points in hand when a passing shot by the Huskies sailed long and handed Green Hope a 25-19 third set win.

Hough finished the season 26-6 on the season, they were 14-0 in the I-Meck 4A conference where they were the champions. Hough won the 4A Western Regional title for the second time in school history.

Green Hope won their second straight championship as the Falcons capped off a 31-2 season. The Falcons finished with a perfect 10-0 record in the Triangle 6 4A conference, winning the regular season and conference championships.