Everyone – well, everyone of a certain age, anyway, especially volleyball moms – remembers the popular boy band New Kids On the Block. Well, when it comes to Class AAA volleyball this season, consider Bridgeport to be the new ‘big’ kids on the block, and everyone else in Region 1 has been doing their best to catch up and match up.
And that includes Morgantown, who hosted the regional tournament Saturday and found its way into the championship match against the Indians. Of course, it always helps to have your very own “new big kid,” too, and when freshman middle hitter Isabel Grushecky started to really heat up, so did the Mohigans, as they overcame a 2-1 set disadvantage to defeat BH, 3-2, and capture the Region 1 crown.
The entire match was exceptionally close and competitive, with both teams extending points with extra hustle and determination. Set 1 stayed close, with neither team able to forge even a three-point lead. MHS squeaked out to a 12-10 lead midway through the set, and then Bridgeport rolled out to a 7-1 run to take control, then finished it off with a 7-2 run to take it, 25-18.
The Mohigans needed a quick start in Set 2, and they got it, getting to 5-0. The question then became not if BHS would make a concerted push to get back in it, but when. However, while the Indians got within a single point several times, they never did manage to climb all the way up the hill and MHS closed out the set, 25-20.
The third set flipped the script, as Bridgeport used excellent serving and team defense to snag an early lead, stretching it to 21-14. But the Mohigans kept grinding and chipping away at the deficit, even when down four set points at 24-20, and managed to pull within one before a time out and a well-executed side out gave BHS the set, 25-23.
Before Set 4, Morgantown coach Erica Manor pulled her players in.
“I told them that a loved the fight they showed in Set 3,” she said, “and that together – every one of us – we were going to do this, that we had it in us to just keep fighting on every point.”
The Mohigans had to have Set 4 and quickly pulled out to a 5-1 lead. But Bridgeport fought back to take a 12-10 lead, and that’s when Morgantown got efficient with their side outs. That’s also when setter Paige Brock and Grushecky got in synch, especially with their middle quick sets. With the freshmen pounding kills almost at will – the Indians never really found an effective blocking strategy for the play – the Mohigans kept BHS runs to a minimum and captured the momentum, outscoring Bridgeport 15-8 down the stretch for a 25-18 win.
With the title on the line, the Mohigans were a snowball rolling downhill, as they slammed out to a huge 8-2 lead and quickly finished it with a Brock-to-Grushecky quick-set kill to win the decisive fifth set, 15-7.
Senior outside hitter Alayna Corwin felt that the end of Set 3 was key.
“Even though we lost the set, it felt like we had taken the momentum and energy with our comeback,” she said. “After that, we never let our game drop at all and that carried us through. Bridgeport is a really good team, so we’re excited about beating them and we’re also excited about heading to states because I think we’re ready to play against the higher-level competition.”
For Grushecky, this year has been pretty heady stuff, with OVACs, sectional and regional titles already in the books. But in her mind, it’s all been a bit of a surprise – at least her role in the Mohigans’ success.
“Honestly, to come in as a freshman, you don’t really expect to play much, right?” she said. “Not with upperclassman and all. So, I’ve been blessed to get so much playing time, and it’s been so great to develop a connection with Paige because when she sets it so perfect it’s easy to get in the groove.
“I am so excited to be on this team that’s going to Charleston. If we take things point by point, we have a chance to play our best.”
