Alleghany Stops Wilson In 3C Semifinals

FISHERSVILLE – Volleyball can be a game of momentum and once Alleghany had “Big Mo” on its side, the Cougars pulled away for a 3-1 victory Monday in the Region 3C volleyball semifinals. Alleghany won by scores of 25-22, 17-25, 25-12, 25-15.

After Wilson won the second set to even the match, Alleghany raced out to a 6-1 lead in the third set and never looked back.

“The momentum definitely changed,” said Wilson head coach Lauren Grove. “I feel like if we had gotten control of the ball a little bit more we could have swayed it differently, but we couldn’t get the momentum back when we needed to.”

Alleghany will travel to Liberty Christian, the No. 1 seed in the region, to play for the 3C championship.

The first two sets were closely contested.

Kills by AJ Hedrick and Harper Tibbs sparked a 4-0 spurt in the first set to put Wilson up 12-8, but the Cougars responded with seven straight points to lead 15-12. Taylor Stayton and Allyson Cottrell each had two kills for the Cougars.

The Hornets fought back and took the lead, 18-17, on a block by Tibbs. Two kills by Estee Irving increased the margin to 20-17.

The Hornets led 22-20 before the visitors ran off the final five points to win the opening set. Hannah Hensley put down kills on three of the final five points to close out the set 25-22.

The teams traded points for much of the second set before two kills by Irving pushed Wilson into the lead, 17-15.

After a kill by Hensley, Wilson added the next three points, one on a kill by Kayleigh Coffey and one on ace by Irving to lead 20-16.

Alleghany added a point on Stayton’s kill before the Hornets seized control and scored the final five points. Kills by Maggie Parrott and Hedrick made the score 23-17 and Tibbs added the final two points on service aces for a 25-17 win to even the match.

The visitors jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the third set, but Wilson clawed back to within a point, 8-7, sparked by a block by Tibbs and an ace by Bree Kindig. 

Alleghany then reeled off seven straight points to take command of the third set. Cougars’ setter Kendra Dressler fed the ball to Hensley at the net, and the senior hitter delivered three kills. Hensley added a block as the Cougars opened a 15-7 cushion.

Wilson had no answer for the Alleghany surge, falling 25-12 in the third set.

A kill by Irving had Wilson even at 6-6 in the fourth set before a 9-0 run by Cougars put the Hornets in a huge hole. Hensley and Cottrell each had two kills as Alleghany took command.

Dressler orchestrated the Cougar’s offense with 47 assists. Hensley pounded 21 kills and Cottrell had 10 kills. Navaeh Forbes and Maddy Lowry led the defensive effort with 11 digs each while Kylie Forbes and Dressler each added 10 digs.

Irving led the Hornets with 12 kills, followed by Parrot with nine and Hedrick and Maddie Lawhorn with six apiece. Kindig paced the defensive effort with 19 digs. Miley Davis dug up 15 balls and Irving added 13 digs. Natalee Chandler passed out 23 assists and Kindig added three aces. 

Wilson ended the season with an 18-5 record, and the future looks bright with the team graduating just three players – Katherine Lawhorn, who missed the entire season due to an injury, Kayleigh Coffey and Bethany Martin.

“Every year you realize how much the seniors help build your team by setting that standard – we’re going to go to open gym, this is what we’re going to do, this is the intensity we’re going to bring to practice” Grove said. “Even if they’re not a captain, they’re still leaders on the floor.”

Grove should have the bulk of her rotation back for 2026, plus sophomore Elisabeth Irivng should return after missing this season with an injury.

“We have a lot of potential going forward. I think we’ll come back stronger,” said Grove.