New Kent stuns Warhill in five-game Senior Night thriller

New Kent's Lady Trojans break into a wild celebration after scoring the winning point in game four to force a decisive fifth set.

Alan Chamberlain photo

Down two games to one, New Kent’s Lady Trojans closed out Thursday night’s fourth game with a 5-0 run to deny Warhill’s visiting Lions a volleyball victory. The hosts then carried that momentum into a decisive fifth game, holding off the Lions until Sydney Griffith’s kill and Cortney Pickett’s service ace produced the final two points in a 17-25, 25-19, 21-25, 25-20, 17-15 Lady Trojan triumph.

The victory climaxed a Senior Night celebration, honoring New Kent’s five seniors in the final home regular season appearance of their careers. The decision also raised the team’s record to 13-8.

“Unbelievable,” exclaimed Lady Trojan coach Cyndi Burnett afterward.

“I think that in most people’s minds, this has to be an upset,” she said, adding that the Lions entered Wednesday’s contest with victories over perennial volleyball powerhouses Jamestown and Grafton.

“I told the girls this was the best Senior Night in my 28 years [of coaching],” she added.

Serving miscues plagued New Kent in the opening game, enabling the Lions to mount a 15-8 lead. New Kent managed to rally back within two, but no closer.

“We had some serves into the net early, but then we seemed to shake that off and our serving was good after that,” Burnett said. “Cortney got in some crucial serves in that kept them off-balance.”

A Lady Trojan turnaround in game two staked the hosts to an early 10-5 advantage. Warhill closed the gap to a single point on three occasions before a Kayla Davis kill and Tiffany Tolley block helped put the hosts in control 19-15.

In game three, Warhill managed its own turnaround for a 14-6 lead. And as the Lions did in the previous game, the Lady Trojans battled back. Twice, the hosts pulled within two (15-13 and 23-21) before the Lions prevailed.

New Kent dominated early in game four. A Griffith kill opened a 12-7 lead, but Warhill refused to fold, gradually whittling down the hosts’ advantage on the way to forging a 20-20 deadlock.

But a Tolley shot through the Lion defense landed just inbounds to put New Kent ahead to stay. Moments later, Pickett’s save on an errant pass headed for the bleachers set up Zoe Smith for one of her 10 kills on the night and a 22-20 lead. After a point on a Lion error, a Griffith kill and Jada Evans’ ace forced game five.

Warhill scored first for their only game five lead. Kaitlyn Claytor’s kill off a Pickett assist pulled New Kent even. The hosts built a four-point lead (11-7), but back came the Lions to tie, first at 12-12 and later at 14-14 and 15-15.

Griffith’s dink over blockers for her ninth kill broke the final deadlock. The shot earned side out for the hosts and Pickett who delivered her fifth ace for the win.

Claytor, meanwhile, led New Kent in kills (11) and blocks (6). Emiley Angle and Pickett recorded 21 and 17 assists, respectively. Griffith was tops in digs with 16 followed by Evans (14) and Paige Simpson (13). Smith managed three blocks while Tolley contributed seven kills and two blocks.

“The girls really pulled this match out,” said Burnett. “This will really help us going into [the final two regular season games at Poquoson and Lafayette] next week.”