The Northeastern and Hagerstown volleyball teams opened play at the Hagerstown sectional on Thursday, Oct. 17, for the right to advance in the state tournament. Northeastern, the two-time defending sectional champion, and Hagerstown, the Tri-Eastern Conference champions, were meeting for the third time this season with each team holding a win over the other. The Lady Tigers defeated the Lady Knights in five sets during their regular season conference match on Oct. 3, and the Lady Knights defeated the Lady Tigers in four sets during the opening round of the Wayne County tournament on Oct. 5. When the two teams lined up across the net from each other on Thursday, their prior meetings went out the window. It was win or see your season end.
After a 4-4 tie in the first set, the Tigers got out of rotation and the Knights took advantage with an 8-0 run to build a 12-4 lead. The Tigers mounted a furious comeback to cut the lead to 19-18 before the Knights closed with a 6-3 run to take a 25-21 win.
The second set was last tied at 8-8 before the Tigers gradually pulled away to build a 24-16 lead and held off a Knight rally to win the set 25-20 and tied the match at one set each.
Neither team could separate from the other through the first half of the third set. There were ties at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. The Tigers took the lead at 14-13 and never trailed again en route to a 25-20 win.
The fourth set was last tied at 12-12 before Hagerstown went on a 9-0 run to take control. The Tigers went to set and match point at 24-15, but the Knights refused to fold. The Tigers’ lead was down to 24-23 when the ball slid along the top of the net before falling to the floor to give the Tigers a 25-23 win to close out the match.
An emotional Matt Fisher, head coach of the Knights, talked with pride about the effort his team gave.
”I could not be more proud of my team,” Fisher said. “Hagerstown is very good and they are more experienced, but we fought until the end. We left everything on the floor. There is little difference in these teams. Tonight was their night. Good luck to them.”
Hagerstown head coach Brian Dale agreed with Fisher’s assessment.
“I did not want to go to a fifth set with Northeastern,” Dale said. “They are really good. They dominated us in the first set and we had a 24-15 lead in the fourth set and they cut it to 24-23 before we finally got the final point. On the other hand I am proud of our effort. We never lost our focus and we found a way to win. Everyone played well and Raleigh (Doerstler) dominated when we needed her to.”
The Knights will return most of their roster next season, but it was the last match in a Northeastern volleyball uniform for seniors Adison Bry and Reese Dumford.
The Tigers advanced to face Winchester Community in the semifinal round on Saturday morning, Oct. 19, with the winner advancing to the championship match on Saturday night. The opponent will be the winner of the other semifinal match Saturday between Centerville and Union County.
Hagerstown (20-8) 21 25 25 25
Northeastern (14-16) 25 20 22 23
Hagerstown stat leaders — Assists: Emma Snodgrass 28, Ella Logston 22, Digs: Raleigh Doerstler 30, Nora King 27, Kills: Doerstler 26. Northeastern stat leaders — Assists: Adysson Kircher 35, Digs: Reese Dumford 24, Kamdyn Sum 23, Oliva Null 22, Kills: Emma Bledsoe-Ryan 13, Ava Spradling 11.
A version of this article will appear in the October 23 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.