CHARLESTON – The Morgantown High volleyball team will appear in its third consecutive state championship game, seeking its second straight title.
No. 2 MHS defeated No. 6 Cabell Midland 3-0 Wednesday night to secure its spot in the 2024 Class AAAA state championship match. The Mohigans will square off against top-seeded Hedgesville on Thursday afternoon.
“It feels so great being able to go back to play for a state championship,” MHS first-year head coach Abigail Wolfe said. “It felt great to be able to come in this evening and get the sweep against a strong Cabell Midland team. We couldn’t be more excited for tomorrow.”
The Mohigans got started early and often at the net, as the attacking power of the front line gave Cabell Midland fits from the opening serve.
Freshman Leah Greeny and sophomore Abby Paulsen set the tone early on defensively as well, as the Knights struggled to earn kills.
Despite allowing the Knights to cut the deficit to two points in the latter stages of the opening set, the Mohigans held firm and eventually secured the victory in set one, 25-23.
“We knew how good of a team Cabell Midland was coming into the match,” Wolfe said. “Our main focus was to let the game come to us and not force anything. I think our defense was dominant in the match and when that happens we can be hard to beat.”
MHS carried the momentum of the first set into the next, building a 10-6 lead behind the swing of junior Paige Brink, who simply wouldn’t be denied.
The Knights were unable to find a response in the second set, and MHS took a 2-0 lead with a 25-20 win in set two.
MHS left no doubt in the third set, growing the lead to 15-8 quickly, and eventually going ahead 21-9.
The Mohigans captured the third and final set 25-13 to advance to the Class AAAA state championship match against Hedgesville on Thursday afternoon.
Morgantown and Hedgesville will follow the Class AAA championship on Thursday afternoon, which follows the Class AA championship match that begins at 10:30 a.m.
“Hedgesville is the one team we haven’t seen this season,” Wolfe said. “We’ve been at the same tournaments a few times but never matched up against them. It’s sort of the game we’ve been waiting for, and we know we will have to come out tomorrow and earn every point.”
