John Bruce, Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by Holzer Health System.
ZANESVILLE — For the first time in program history, Valley played with a regional championship on the line on Saturday at Zanesville High School.
Unfortunately for the Indians, Sugarcreek Garaway stood in the way of their Final 4 dreams.
The Pirates knocked off the Indians in four sets by a 25-9, 25-22, 15-25, 25-16 final, putting an end to the undisputed best season in program history.
The Indians (23-2) started the match with a kill from Kendyl Christman, but it all fell apart in the opening set for Valley.
The typical length and timing at the net for the Indians was no match for the Pirates as Garaway (23-4) cruised to an opening 25-9 win. Juniors True Tango and Quinn Schwartz were both dominant for Garaway, giving a diverse attack at the net in which the Indians were unable to solve early.
The second was much more competitive with Valley showing several scoring bursts.
Setter Katelyn Queen was able to find hitters Mya Williams, Peyton Hunter and EJ Vice for kills, but Garaway’s Audrey Miller proved to be too much of a menace. The senior hitter put down six kills in a 25-15 win as the Pirates seized a 2-0 match lead.
When Miller wasn’t cooking at the net, Schwartz was having a block party defensively. She tallied four solo blocks in the second set alone, eliminating any chance for Valley to put together sustained runs.
With their season on the line, the Indians came together before the third with a renewed focus and dominated the early moments of the set.
Zoe Wolfe, Williams and Vice all got going on the attack, while the blocking finally showed up, causing many issues for the Pirates at the net. Libero Laylee McGraw showed why she was the SOC Defensive Player of the Year with several outstanding defensive plays, and Abby Harris was even credited with a kill from the back row.
The Indians cruised to a 23-13 lead before the Pirates made a late push to cut the deficit to as close as 24-22. But Queen put down a kill to wipe out the Pirates’ run and extend the match with a 25-22 victory.
That late run from Garaway, however, proved to be more than just a blip.
The Pirates stormed back in the fourth set, dominating for a 25-16 win to finish the match and the Indians’ season. The back row play from Kenya Njoroge and setting from Charlee Yoder pushed the attack for Garaway, wiping out any chance for Valley to complete a comeback.
Valley finishes their season as the co-SOC III and district champion alongside a regional runner-up showing.
The Indians will graduate Ella Thompson, Kendyl Christman and Katelyn Queen, but will have a solid foundation to call upon when they return to the court next fall.
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