PV: Perfect victors

By EASportsToday.com
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Updated: October 19, 2015

Pleasant Valley wins another area volleyball title, completes two seasons without losing a set against area foes

Pleasant Valley’s Cammy Cochran was named area tournament most valuable player. She scored 22 of her 38 kills in the title match against Wellborn. (Photo by Krista Walker)

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

JACKSONVILLE — The Pleasant Valley volleyball team has its swagger back, and it couldn’t be coming at a more vital time.

The Lady Raiders (34-11) won another area title Monday, beating Piedmont and Wellborn in straight sets for the Class 3A Area 12 crown and advancing to the North super regional Friday in Huntsville.

They beat Piedmont 25-11, 25-7, 25-13 and Wellborn 25-15, 25-13, 25-16 to complete another sweep through the area. It’s the second year in a row they have gone through the area undefeated — regular season and tournament — without losing a set.

Wellborn reached the final match with an intense five-set win over Weaver.

PV now plays Area 14 runner-up Pisgah in its super regional opener at 10:15 a.m., while Wellborn draws area champion Plainview (18-24) at 12:45 p.m.

“We’re back on track, and it was vital to have that happen here,” Lady Raiders coach Dana Bryant said. “They knew they had to get it back before area, before regionals.”

PV’s Cammy Cochran was named tournament MVP. She had 16 kills and 14 digs against Piedmont, 22 kills and eight digs against Wellborn.

Cochran had a lot of help from her friends. Anna Bryant had 50 assists, 20 digs, 9 kills, 7 aces and a block in the two matches. Alisa St. John had 10 kills, 19 digs and 2 aces. Leah Johnson had 2 kills, an ace and six digs.

Blakely Malsy had 7 digs and a kill. Mikayla Kendrick had 6 blocks – four in the first game against Piedmont — 4 digs and 3 kills. Madison Bentley had 6 aces, 25 digs and a kill. Taylor Williams had 2 aces, 16 digs.

The Lady Raiders had fallen into a funk after a spirited run of upsets to reach the Calhoun County Tournament final. They went 1-5 since losing that final in five sets, but righted the ship by winning three matches over quality opponents Saturday.

“I do think we are back to the team that we were before the county tournament,” Cochran said. “I guess we just thought it was over (after the county tournament) but it wasn’t.

“We came to realize that when we went to the Blalock Tournament and beat St Paul’s (in their final match) … we are the great team we were a couple weeks ago — it’s still there – and we had to push and make sure we’re still performing to how we were at County and before.”

Wellborn faced an epic battle for its spot in the super regional. Twice they were serving for the match, but had to hold on for dear life.

Weaver, fighting to advance out of area play for the first time in at least 10 years, won the first set 25-18. Wellborn won the next two 25-19, 25-20 and was serving for the match at 24-18 in the fourth set, but Weaver scored the next eight points to send the match into a tiebreaker.

The Lady Panthers were serving for the match at 14-12 in the tiebreaker, but Weaver rallied to tie it at 14 before Wellborn finally put it away.

“I don’t know if the focus at times was in and out, but we had to work really hard,” Wellborn coach Brenda Vinson said. “I’m just proud we got the win. Volleyball is a game of momentum so you have to stay focused; you have to stay consistent. Luckily, we were able to get it together and finish.

“It’s Panther pride for us. What we talk about a lot is we’re Wellborn Panthers and we should fight for the victory all the way until it’s over, until we have it. At least give all.”

Liz Wyatt had 20 of her 26 kills in the Weaver match. Annalaya Smith had 26 of her 38 assists in it, and Ayanna Foster had six of her 11 blocks in it. All three made the all-tournament team.

Wellborn’s Liz Wyatt goes up for one of her 20 kills in the area semifinals against Weaver. (Photo by Krista Walker)

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Macie Baker, Weaver
Mariah Thompson, Weaver
Keshauna Jones, Piedmont
Cheyenne Law, Piedmont
Elizabeth Wyatt, Wellborn
Annalaya Smith, Wellborn
Ayanna Foster, Wellborn
Paige Haney, Wellborn
Anna Bryant, Pleasant Valley
Alisa St. John, Pleasant Valley
Madi Bentley, Pleasant Valley
Cammy Cochran, Pleasant Valley (MVP)