Cox Mill High volleyball falls to DH Conley in NCHSAA 3A state final
D.H. Conley made the most of its return to the state 3A girls’ volleyball championships Saturday, sweeping Cox Mill for the title in three closely-contested sets.
The Vikings (16-1), which has won three North Carolina championships but also lost in the finals three times since 2005, won each set by a 25-23 score.
Cox Mill, which won the 3A championship in its only other appearance in 2016, finished with an 18-1 record.
“We always feel as if we’re the best team in the gym,” Cox Mill coach Ralph Viegelmann said. “But Conley made us put the brakes on our hitters. Our hitters are a big part of our game, but they took that away.”
D.H. Conley coach Jennifer Gillikin, who was coaching the Vikings when they won their last state title, in 2007, said her team overcame COVID-related problems this season.
“We made numerous lineup changes during the season,” she said. “There were games where we had to make those changes at the last minute, but our players always adjusted.”
Two Viking players missed Saturday’s final due to quarantining.
“They missed being able to play today by about six hours,” Gillikin said.
After the early part of the opening set, neither team made a run of more than three points in the match.
Cox Mill jumped ahead in the first set, but D.H. Conley rallied. The Vikings finally surged at the end, with freshman outsider hitter Maddy May, the match’s Most Valuable Player, scoring four of the final five points on kills.
It was more of the same in the second set, and the teams were tied 10-all when D.H. Conley went on a 4-1 run. Cox Mill narrowed the gap but never retook the lead.
The final set was a bit different, as the Vikings built a 4-0 lead and were ahead 15-9.
Cox Mill put together a final rally and closed to within 21-18 and then 24-23.
“I was holding my breath when they made that rally,” Gillikin said. “We wanted to finish it in three sets.”
Charger senior standout Raven Gray said her team never quit.
“We kept our heads up, and we kept working,” she said. “That’s important for the rest of the team.”
But Viking freshman Ella Philpot blocked a Cox Mill shot, ending the set and the match.
“Our players went through a lot this season,” Viegelmann said. “I don’t know about other teams, but we practiced on a baseball field when we started. Nobody complained. That’s the kind of team we had.”
Gray’s finale with Cox Mill was memorable, as she totaled 21 kills.
“She’s a really good player,” Gillikin said.
Robin Rosser added 15 kills, and Ava Douglas totaled 37 assists.
May (10 kills) and Sara Dees (eight kills) led the D.H. Conley attack. Olivia Lefever had 16 assists, and Cassie Dail had 14.
Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle
