The Shadow
LYNCHBURG – Making their first regional appearance in school history, the Alleghany volleyball team saw their storybook season come to an end after falling to the E.C. Glass Hilltoppers in straight sets Monday.
Glass won the match 25-14, 25-2, 25-19 to advance to today’s quarterfinals where they will face Turner Ashby.
“They were just much quicker to the net, quicker to the ball and I knew they were going to be good,” said Alleghany coach Jackie Almarode. “They are usually here (regions) every year. Our inexperience really showed on the court tonight.”
The Hilltoppers jumped out to an early 10-3 lead in the first set behind two kills from Niki Good and another from Katie Kitts.
Two straight aces from Good upped the Hilltoppers’ lead to 15-4, but Alleghany’s Erin Durham reeled off six straight points, including an ace, to pull the Lady Mounties to within six (16-10).
That would be as close as the Mountaineers would get as Shelby Davies increased the Hilltoppers’ lead to 19-12 with a tip and an Alleghany net violation made the score 20-12.
E.C. Glass led 21-14 before Ali Johnson served out the set to give the Hilltoppers a one set lead.
The second set was all Hilltoppers as both teams received just two serves the whole game.
Alleghany’s Laura Peterson served to open the set, but the Hilltoppers won the first point after Davies opened the set with a big spike off a set from Paige Riley.
Riley would then use a strong serve to reel off 16 unanswered points, including five aces, to give E.C. Glass a 17-0 lead before the Lady Mountaineers finally got on the board.
Alleghany would score two points before Glass’ Aubrey Blanchette served out the set, including four aces, to give the Hilltoppers a two sets to none lead.
Alleghany rebounded from the second set beatdown to play their best volleyball of the night in the third set.
E.C. Glass led the entire set, but Alleghany was neck-and-neck with them until midway through the set.
Glass led 9-8 before scoring six of the next eight points to take a 16-10 lead.
The Seminole District champs increased their lead to 22-16 following Katharine George’s stuff block and Cristina Good’s ace made it 23-17.
Glass led 24-19 before an Alleghany net violation ended the third set and the match.
“It was an amazing season,” stated Almarode. “I never imagined that we would be where we are right now, but we are here to do our leadership.
“It has been the quiet leadership of our seniors all season long that has carried us,” added Almarode. “This is one of the more less-skilled teams that I have ever had, but they just have so much determination and found a way to win.
“When you can say that, that just means that they have blood, guts and heart,” added Almarode.
Peterson and Eli McCutchen led Alleghany with six points each, while Emily Depriest had five.
Rachelle Casstevens had four, Brittany Reed chipped in three and Maegan Walton added two.
Durham, Cortnie Walton and Mindy Gillispie rounded out the AHS scoring with one point each.
Casstevens, Gillispie, Depriest, McCutchen and Reed all suited up in the Alleghany volleyball uniforms for the final time of their high school careers.
Alleghany finished the season with a 9-14 record.
