The Shadow
ROANOKE – It was either win and live to see another day or lose and go home in Monday’s Blue Ridge District volleyball first round play-in game between Alleghany and Northside.
Unfortunately, it ended in the latter for the Lady Mountaineers as they fell in straight sets to the Vikings 25-11, 25-20, 25-21.
The Vikings took early leads in the first two sets before rallying in the third set for the comeback win.
Northside jumped out to an early 8-2 lead in the first set and ley by as many as 14 (21-7). Tiffany Thompson’s fourth kill of the set brought Alleghany to within 11 (22-11) but the Lady Vikings went on to cruise to the first set win.
Thompson’s kill brought Alleghany to within one (3-2) early in the second set but she followed with a wide serve and the Vikings never looked back.
Northside increased its lead to 11-6 and they led 20-12 later in the set. Stephanie Smith’s kill brought the Lady Mounties to within seven (20-13).
Northside led 23-16 late in the set before Laura Peterson went on a four-point run that saw Mindy Gillespie and Thompson post back-to-back stuff blocks to cut the Vikings’ lead to 24-20. That would be as close as Alleghany would get as Northside would score the next point to take a two sets to none lead.
The Lady Mountaineers started to show some life in the third set.
Northside jumped out to an early 3-1 lead but Smith’s kill gave Alleghany a 4-3 lead.
The Vikings jumped back on top 12-7 and led 14-19 before Peterson scored six straight -aided by kills from Alex Chrisco and Thompson – to knot the score at 15.
Smith’s kill gave the Lady Mounties a 17-16 lead and Chrisco’s ace gave Alleghany a 19-17 lead. The Vikings were able to bounce back and knot the set at 20-19 lead but Smith’s stuff block knotted the set at 20-all.
Northside (7-14) would take a 21-20 lead and go on to score four of the next five points to win the third set and the match and advance to today’s semifinals against the top-seeded Lord Botetourt Cavaliers.
Peterson led Alleghany with 15 points and added nine assists and two kills. Kayla Hyler also reached double figures with 10 points.
Chrisco finished with eight points, four assists and two blocks, while Rachelle Casstevens chipped in seven points. Thompson and Smith rounded out the AHS scoring with six points each with Thompson adding nine kills and four blocks and Smith contributing three kills and two blocks.
The loss meant the final Alleghany volleyball game for four seniors.
Chrisco, Hyler, Smith and Thompson all donned their AHS volleyball uniforms for the final time.
Alleghany finished the season with a 2-15 record.
Following tonight’s first semifinal at Staunton River High School between the Vikings and Cavaliers, tournament host Staunton River, the third-seed, will take on second-seeded William Byrd.
