Lady Trojans lock in, clinch berth to Region 3A championship game

New Kent’s Ava Nieto (2) is quick to the punch as she delivers a kill before Lady Colonial defenders could block it.

Robb Johnson photo

New Kent’s Lady Trojans volleyball team made their trip to the state tournament look easy during the Nov. 7 Region 3A semifinals.

New Kent breezed by the visiting Colonial Heights Lady Colonials 25-9, 25-5, 25-13 in straight sets, notching a berth to the state tournament and setting up a rematch against Bay Rivers District rival Grafton Lady Clippers in the Region 3A Championship Game on Nov. 12.

The hosts opened the game with a 12-5 run, relying on digs from Abby McLaughlin and the senior duo of Fallon Greenawalt and Kendall White patrolling the net. New Kent rode that power as they captured the first set with ease.

Riding momentum not only from the first set and the win over Lakeland the night before, New Kent began mixing and matching attacks and getting a variety of players involved to take an 8-1 lead in the second set. From there, kills by Carly Sachs and Ryan Griffith helped capture the final points of the frame for the hosts.

In the third set, Colonial Heights found some positive momentum to take a 6-1 lead. But errors by the visitors would allow White to serve for the Lady Trojans. White’s served back-to-back aces, while teammate Chloe Lightner blocked several return attempts by the Lady Colonials as the hosts executed a 13-2 run to close out the match and seal their spot in the finals.

After the contest, New Kent Lady Trojans’ Head Coach Stuart Burnett spoke about the challenge ahead in the championship game.

“We had a team goal to beat every Bay Rivers team this year,” he said. “Our other goal was to make the state tournament.

“We’ve accomplished all of our goals so far this season, but Grafton is still out there,” Stuart concluded.

Greenawalt led New Kent with 10 kills in the contest.