CLARKSBURG (AP) - The 2009 Class A volleyball all-state first-team features four repeat honorees and six first-time selections as chosen by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association, announced Tuesday.
The Doddridge County senior duo of Samantha Bailey and Erica Smith, Charleston Catholic's Katie Stricker and Greater Beckley Christian's Lindsay Fritz return to the first squad for the second straight year.
They are joined by Calhoun County's Ashley Houchin, Charleston Catholic's Sarah Skeens, Wirt County's Megan Ellison, Williamstown's Tiffany Copley, Paden City's Alli Bertozzi and Buffalo's Amber Boggess.
Captaining the first-team is Bailey, who recently signed with Alderson-Broaddus.
The 6-foot-1 senior middle hitter proved to be a dazzling all-around player for the Bulldogs, compiling 343 kill, 212 blocks, 177 service points, 31 aces and 31 digs this season. In addition, she was named Little Kanawha Conference Player of the Year.
Smith, Doddridge's senior setter, tallied 517 assists, 187 service points, 71 aces, 26 kills and 19 blocks as the Bulldogs made their sixth consecutive trip to the state tournament with a 39-14-1 record.
Stricker and Skeens propelled the Irish to their first-ever state title this year, ending Wirt County's four-year run. Stricker, a junior hitter, dominated the net, totaled 669 kills, 75 blocks, 76 aces, 33 assists and 228 digs to lead Catholic to a 61-5 record.
Skeens set for 1,043 assists in her junior season for the Irish, while serving up 152 aces.
Fritz continued to wow everyone who saw her play in her junior season with the Crusaders, who advanced to the semifinals of the state tournament. The diminutive outside hitter blasted 485 kills and 167 solo blocks, while serving for 273 points with 101 aces and digging out 98 passes.
Houchin directed the Red Devils' offense, dishing out 482 assists. The junior setter scored 269 points with 76 aces and had 93 digs, 25 kills and 34 solo blocks.
Ellison led the Tigers in their pursuit of a fifth-straight title. The senior hitter was the lone returning starter this season and finished with 508 kills.
Copley paced the Yellowjackets. The senior hitter patrolled the net, knocking down 357 kills to go with 207 digs and 242 service points, including 71 aces.
Bertozzi is the fifth and final senior to be named to the first team. She led the Wildcats with 681 kills, 169 blocks and 254 digs as a hitter and served up 54 aces en route to being named first-team all-OVAC and Mason-Dixon.
Boggess returned the Bison to the state tournament after a season away. The fifth junior to make the first squad accounted for 231 kills, 320 digs and 126 points with 38 aces.
The second-team is captained by St. Joseph's Sara Sang.
The remainder of the second-team squad consists of Charleston Catholic's Alison Gregory, East Hardy's Ashley Dove, Gilbert's Crystal Lester, Hannan's Jennifer Swann, Parkersburg Catholic's Lindsey Fasching, Pendleton County's Ginger Beatty, Trinity Christian's Sarah Myers, Williamson's Devan Maynard and Williamstown's Liz Flowers.
