MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — It doesn’t matter if the section schools get scrambled, and it doesn’t matter if the season is played through a raging pandemic. In the end, it always seems to come down to this: Morgantown versus University, with a state tournament berth at stake.
Saturday morning, Section 1 champ MHS hosted Section 2 runner-up UHS in the Region 1 semifinal match, with the winner moving on to the regional championship – plus a trip to Charleston. And this year, it was the Mohigans who prevailed, sweeping the Hawks, 3-0.
The first set could be used as a volleyball training clinic, as the Mohigans were clicking in all facets of their game. They served well, putting pressure on the UHS receivers and managed to win the majority of the scramble points in a 25-12 win. Set 2 was a prototypical study in volleyball momentum ebb and flow, with mini-runs countered by mini-runs throughout the hotly-contested game. MHS led 4-3 early, then the Hawks responded with four-straight points, only to see Morgantown rip off five straight to regain the lead, 9-7. Back came University with a 7-1 run to go up by 14-10. The Mohigans ground out points to finally regain the lead at 17-16, and in what was a recurring theme in the match, they closed out the set with a resolute finish. At 20-20, Morgantown powered through on a 5-1 rush to win it 25-21.
Set 3 began as the first stanza, with the Mohigans smoothly sprinting out to a commanding 10-2 start. But the Hawks, fighting to extend their season, scratched their way back into the set to climb all the way to trail by one at 13-12. But a strategic MHS timeout was followed by a critical 6-1 run, and UHS was never able to get closer than three the rest of the way as MHS won it 25-18.
“We have struggled with digging ourselves out of ruts all season,” UHS coach Don Godfrey said, “and you just can’t do that against good teams. Because good teams can kind of smell blood in the water, and they go for the kill. We have played really great volleyball for long stretches in matches, but we just weren’t able to limit the runs against us once they started.
“Still, we are thankful that we got a season in at all, especially for our seniors (Olivia Kaddar, Hannah Gain, Sydney Huntington, Ashlynn Napier, and Lindsey Wilburn). They’ve been a great group to work with, and I’m proud of everyone.”
For Morgantown coach Erica Manor, it’s now two years at the helm and two trips to states. She couldn’t be happier.
“You know, we love the energy and embrace the challenge every time we face University,” she said. “Going up against such a great program really makes us better. I thought we came out and made a statement in the first set because that’s just the kind of solid, complete game I know we’re capable of. I also thought we did a nice job of keeping our poise and focus during their runs, especially in the second set, and we finished sets off very well.”
When asked if the ability to close things out in a tight match is a matter of luck or mindset, Manor hedged her bet a bit.
“It’s a little of both, I think, but it is something we work on,” she said. “In practice, we try to have a ‘training’ mindset, but in games, we shift to a ‘trusting’ mindset, where communication and belief and working together is key. And today, we took care of business very well. I hope we keep it up.”
