HS Volleyball: Providence’s long, emotional day ends with a 3-0 victory
It almost seemed anti-climactic – her team’s second-round victory in the 4A girls’ state volleyball playoffs.
Providence High’s Maggie Malone coached her team to a 3-0 sweep Thursday night of host McDowell, but the match was nearly overshadowed by everything else that happened during the day.
“At 10:30 this morning, I didn’t even know if I’d be on a bus tonight,” Malone said after her undefeated squad cruised to a 25-15, 25-17, 25-16 sweep of the Titans.
The Panthers (16-0) will have a rematch Saturday in the third round - but not the rematch some Charlotte-area fans might have expected. Instead of facing Ardrey Kell, the team that knocked Providence out of the playoffs in the 2019 season, the Panthers will travel to Northwest Guilford (15-1).
Providence beat Northwest Guilford 3-1 in a regular-season meeting a few days before Christmas.
Northwest Guilford rallied Thursday night for a 3-2 victory over Ardrey Kell, while Reagan eliminated Mecklenburg’s other 4A playoff qualifier, Myers Park, by a 3-1 count.
There was a time Thursday morning when it was uncertain if any of the three Mecklenburg teams would have played in the second round. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board decided to suspend athletics until at least Feb. 15, and it initially appeared as if CMS volleyball and cross-country teams would not be knocked out of the playoffs.
The Panthers’ volleyball season, like those of Ardrey Kell’s and Myers Park’s, were hanging in the balance.
“My athletic director and principal tried to shield me from everything that was happening,” Malone said.
But near the end of the school board meeting, Supt. Earnest Winston decided to allow the two sports to finish their seasons.
“It really means a lot to us that Superintendent Winston let us play,” Malone said. “We’ve worked so hard for this.”
With all that settled, Malone and the Panthers got on the bus, rode up to Marion, and glided to victory.
Junior Gabby LaPata and senior Madison Cail each had 13 kills, and sophomore Ava Pritchett added 10 kills. The Panthers’ junior setter, Katie Cruise, totaled 44 assists.
“We did very well in the beginning and middle of each set,” Malone said. “We faltered a bit when it (score) got in the 20s. That’s something we’ll have to fix before Saturday.”
Northwest Guilford 3, Ardrey Kell 2: The Knights, two-time Western Regional champions, fell in a match that included a bit of controversy. Leading 2-1 in sets, Ardrey Kell (12-4) appeared to tie the fourth set at 24-24 on Alexis Shelton’s soft shot at the net. But officials ruled that Shelton had reached over the net. That gave the top-seeded Vikings a 26-24 victory.
In the fifth set, Northwest Guilford quickly built a 5-1 lead and scored the game’s final four points in a 15-7 triumph.
Ardrey Kell beat Northwest Guilford in the Western Regional finals a year ago.
Reagan 3, Myers Park 2: The Mustangs (15-1) won the first set (25-14) and the fourth (25-18), but Reagan (15-0) captured the second (25-21), third (25-15) and fifth (15-8).
In the fifth set, Myers Park rallied from a 5-2 deficit for a 6-6 tie, but Reagan scored seven of the next eight points for a 13-7 lead.
Reagan will visit four-time defending state champion Green Hope (12-0) on Saturday in the third round.
Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle
GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL THIRD-ROUND PAIRINGS
Class 4A
Saturday’s quarterfinals
West
Providence (16-0) at Northwest Guilford (15-1), 2
Reagan (15-0) at Green Hope (12-0), 2
East
Hoggard (11-1) at Pinecrest (16-0), 1
Millbrook (11-4) at Cardinal Gibbons (14-0), 2
Class 3A
Saturday’s quarterfinals
West
West Henderson (11-1) at Cox Mill (16-0), 6
Marvin Ridge (12-3) at T.C. Roberson (15-1), 6
East
Chapel Hill (14-2) at D.H. Conley (13-1), 3
J.H. Rose (12-2) at Person (14-2), 3
Class 2A
Saturday’s quarterfinals
West
Patton (14-2) at Fred T. Foard (16-0), 2
West Wilkes (16-0) at West Stanly (11-0), 6
East
McMichael (15-1) at Carrboro (12-0), 6
Croatan (13-0) at North Lenoir (11-0), 3
Class 1A
Saturday’s quarterfinals
West
Alleghany (14-2) at Mountain Island Charter (16-0), 2
Murphy (15-0) at Bishop McGuinness (14-1), 4
East
East Wake Academy (10-1) at Falls Lake Academy (10-2), 2
Neuse Charter (10-3) at Perquimans (16-0), 4
NOTE:
Semifinals on Tuesday; finals next Saturday
