WEST UNION - For the first time since 2007, the Silver Knights of Tyler Consolidated are the Little Kanawha Conference volleyball champions.
Head coach Richard Summers' team played for nearly two hours, but in the end managed to dethrone defending LKC champ Wirt County as Tyler Consolidated held on for a 25-19, 16-25, 25-20, 23-25 and 15-12 triumph.
"It was pretty exciting. It felt good," said Silver Knight senior Allison Wable, who finished with 18 kills, nine points and two aces in the finals.
Article Photos
Photo by Jay W. Bennett
Tyler Consolidated’s volleyball team captured the Little Kanawha Conference championship for the first time since 2007 on Saturday night at Doddridge County when the Silver Knights knocked off defending LKC champion Wirt County in five sets.
Tyler Consolidated swept Gilmer County - 25-18, 25-20 and 25-11 - in the semifinals while the Tigers had a near two hour battle against Williamstown in a rematch of last year's Class A state championship showdown. However, the Tigers managed to pull out a 25-15, 26-24, 18-25, 17-25 and 15-13 victory to reach the championship.
After the two programs battled to a pair of wins apiece in splitting the first four championship sets, the Silver Knights looked as though they would breeze to victory after jumping out to a 7-1 cushion in the fifth set.
Sydney Reed served for five straight points in the fifth set and her ace gave the Silver Knights the six point advantage. Methodically, the Tigers battled back and continued to chip away thanks to strong play at the net from Taylor Watson, who had a match-high 27 kills, and Brandy Bunch, who finished with 20 downed spikes.
Fact Box
Little Kanawha Conference
Tournament at Doddridge County
Championship
Tyler Consolidated d. Wirt County 25-19, 16-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-12
Wirt County (27-11-3) scoring: Makayla Bell 10 (4 aces), Katie Tichnell 5, Leah Haines 14, Miriam Smith 5 (1), Emily Ohrn 6, Sydney Summers 11 (1), Megan Burns 1; Assists: Ohrn 50; Kills: Brandy Bunch 20, Smith 6, Taylor Watson 27, Burns 4, Ohrn 4
Tyler Consolidated (37-2) scoring: Allison Wable 9 (2), Megan Carpenter 5, Sydney Reed 6 (1), Shay Yonaley 10 (2), Kerstyn Cline 7 (3), Torrye Cline 17 (3); Setting: T. Cline 88-36 assists; Spikes-kills: Wable 30/31-18, Abby Atkinson 6/7-1, Carpenter 26/26-13, Reed 10/10-3, Haylea LeMasters 4/4-2, Bridget Matthews 21/26-1; Blocks: Carpenter 10, Reed 4, Wable 3, Matthews 3; Digs: Yonaley 21, K. Cline 12, T. Cline 16, Carly Fletcher 9, Ariel Fish 5, Hilary Casteel 8, Matthews 5, LeMasters 3, Reed 3, Wable 7
Consolation
Williamstown d. Gilmer County
25-18, 25-20, 25-21
Williamstown (29-8-1) serves: Brooke Cieslewski 7, Kenzie Smith 9 (3), Ciara Flowers 4 (2), Erica Amos 2, Lauren Amos 14 (3), Jessie Kerns 13 (6), Carley Ellison 6; Assists: Kerns 18, Smith 14, Flowers 1, Ashton Chancellor 1, Melissa Cieslewski 2; Spikes-kills: B. Cieslewski 2-0, Smith 11-6, Lincoln Postlewaite 12-8, Flowers 12-7, L. Amos 6-5, Ellison 15-7, Chancellor 8-4, Krist Mayo 2-1, M. Cieslewski 1-0, Emrie Gray 1-1; Blocks: Smith 2, Postlewaite 1, Flowers 4, L. Amos 1, Ellison 3, Chancellor 1, M. Cieslewski 1; Digs: B. Cieslewski 22, Smith 3, Flowers 1, E. Amos 6, L. Amos 2, Kerns 1, Ellison 6, Gray 1
Semifinals
Tyler Consolidated d. Gilmer County 25-18, 25-20, 25-11
Tyler Consolidated scoring: Wable 6 (2), Carpenter 5 (1), Reed 6, Yonaley 15 911), K. Cline 3, T. Cline 17 (2); Assists: T. Cline 24; Spikes-kills: Wable 30/30-21, Atkinson 2/2-0, Carpenter 12/14-6, Reed 10/10-2, LeMasters 3/3-0, Matthews 14/15-4; Blocks: Wable 10, T. Cline 3, Reed 3, Carpenter 2, Matthews 2; Digs: Reed 1, LeMasters 3, Yonaley 7, Casteel 8, K. Cline 5, Fletcher 7, T. Cline 10
Wirt County d. Williamstown
25-15, 26-24, 18-25, 17-25, 15-13
Williamstown serves: B. Cieslewski 19 (1), Smith 23 (5), Flowers 4 (1), E. Amos 6, L. Amos 9, Kerns 19 (4), Ellison 10; Assists: Kerns 24, Smith 15; Spikes-kills: B. Cieslewski 1-0, Smith 12-8, Postlewaite 15-10, Flowers 15-11, L. Amos 12-8, Kerns 1-0, Ellison 18-9, Chelsey Butler 8-3; Blocks: Smith 3, Postlewaite 4, Flowers 6, Ellison 5, Chancellor 2; Digs: Cieslewski 24, Ellison 8, E. Amos 8, Smith 2, Postlewaite 2, L. Amos 1, Kerns 3, Ellison 8, Chancellor 1
Huntington Invitational
Finals
Parkersburg d.
George Washington 25-20, 30-28
Parkersburg scoring: Morgan Armstrong 2, Lexi Reeder 6, Kaitlyn Farrah 8, Jordan Lallemont 5, Paige Warner 5; Setting: Armstrong 1, Reeder 19, Lallemont 6; Kills: Armstrong 1, Alexandra Dils 1, Imani Ward 15, Lallemont 2, Warner 12, Allison Schumaker 2; Blocks: Dils 2, Ward 1; Digs: Nicole Bradford 3, Armstrong 3, Dils 2, Reeder 2, Farrah 14, Ward 2, Morrison 19, Lallemont 4, Samantha Shingleton 1, Warner 4
Consolation Round
Huntington d.
Parkersburg South 25-18, 25-20
Parkersbirg south scoring: Ratliff 2, Leach 6-1, Williams 2, Spencer 2, Rexroad 2-1; Setting: Ratliff 13-5, Spencer 19-8; Hitting: Ratliff 1-1, Leach 1-1, Somerville 1, Leach 4-1, Amos 11-4, McPeek 5-3, Williams 8-4, Greenburg 3-2, Spencer 9-5, Rexroad 8-2; Digs: Ratliff 3, Somerville 7, Leach 11, Williams 3, Greenburg 1, Spencer 9
Playoff
Semifinals
Parkersburg d. Greenbrier East
27-25, 25-18
Parkersburg scoring: Armstrong 4, Reader 2, Farrah 4, Morrison 11, Lallemont 2, Warner 5; Setting: Reeder 14, Lallemont 6, Allison Schumaker 1; Kills: Armstrong 1, Dils 1, Ward 13, Lallemont 1, Warner 15, Schumaker 1; Blocks: Dils 1; Digs: Bradford 5, Dils 1, Reeder 3, Farrah 8, Morrison 10, Lallemont 4, Shingleton 2, Warner 1
1st Round
Parkersburg d. Parkersburg South
25-16, 25-13
Parkersburg South scoring: Ratliff 1, Leach 3, Williams 1, Spencer 7, Rexroad 2-2; Setting: Ratliff 14-8, Spencer 16-8; Hitting: Ratliff 1-1, Leach 1-1, Amos 9-4, Williams 12-8, Greenburg 1, Spencer 9-3, Rexroad 6-4; Blocks: Amos 1, Rexroad 2; Digs: Ratliff 1, Somerville 4, Leach 7, Amos 1, Williams 6, Greenburg 2, Spencer 6, Rexroad 4
Parkersburg scoring: Armstrong 8, Reeder 6, Farrah 3, Morrison 3, Lallemont 1; Setting: Reeder 15, Lallemont 6, Rachel Slone 1; Kills: Armstrong 1, Dils 2, Ward 11, Morrison 1, Lallemont 1, Shingleton 2, Warner 7; Blocks: Dils 1, Shingleton 1; Digs: Bradford 4, Armstrong 3, Dils 1, Reader 5, Farrah 5, Ward 3, Morrison 13, Lallemont 3, Slone 1, Shingleton 3, Warner 5
Pool Play
Parkersburg d.
Spring Valley 25-13, 12-25, 15-9
Parkersburg scoring: Armstrong 4, Reeder 6, Farrah 1, Ward 2, Lallemont 7, Warner 6; Setting: Reeder 8, Farrah 1, Lallemont 9, Shingleton 1, Warner 1; Kills: Armstrong 1, Dils 1, Ward 9, Shingleton 2, Warner 10; Blocks: Armstrong 1, Dils 1, Ward 1, Warner 1; Digs: Bradford 7, Armstrong 6, Dils 2, Reeder 7, Farrah 7, Morrison 4, Shingleton 1, Warner 5
Spring Valley d.
Parkersburg South 25-6. 25-19
Parkersburg South (18-10) scoring: Heather Ratliff 1 (1 ace), Alexis Leach 1, Kacey Williams 2, Lexi Spencer 3, Kayleigh Rexroad 1 (1); Setting: Ratliff 10- 3 assists, Spencer 9-1; Hitting: Logan Somerville 2, Leach 2, Katy Amos 5-1 kill, Sara McPeek 3, Williams 3-1, Sutherlin Greenburg 3-1, Spencer 10-5, Rexroad 4-1; Blocks: Amos 1, McPeek 2, Greenburg 1, Rexroad 1; Digs: Ratliff 2, Somerville 2, Leach 3, Williams 1, Spencer 6
Parkersburg d. Parkersburg South
25-12, 25-19
Parkersburg South scoring: Ratliff 2, Somerville 4, Spencer 1, Rexroad 2; Setting: Ratliff 12-4, Spencer 14-4; Hitting: Ratliff 1, Somerville 1-1, Leach 3-3, Amos 2-1, McPeek 2-3, Williams 9-3, Spencer 8-3, Rexroad 6-3; Blocks: McPeek 2, Greenburg 1, Spencer 1, Rexroad 1; Digs: Ratliff 1, Somerville 5, Leach 3, Amos 1, McPeek 1, Williams 4, Greenburg 1, Spencer 3, Rexroad 1
Parkersburg: Armstrong 2, Reeder 13, Farrah 2, Morrison 4, Lallemont 3, Warner 1; Setting: Dils 1, Reeder 16, Lallemont 8; Kills: Armstrong 3, Dils 1, Ward 11, Morrison 1, Lallemont 1, Shingleton 3, Warner 11, Schumaker 1; Blocks: Dils 1, Ward 1, Shingleton 1, Warner 1; Digs: Bradford 6, Armstrong 5, Dils 1, Reeder 2, Farrah 9, Ward 2, Morrison 10, Slone 1, Shingleton 1, Warner 3
Next match: Morgantown at Parkersburg South, Thursday; Oak Glen, Woodrow Wilson and Cabell Midland at Parkersburg, Tuesday
Later, with Tiger Sydney Summers at the service line, she notched six straight points and the decisive fifth set was squared at nine when Miriam Smith registered a downed spike.
Megan Carpenter, via one of Torrye Cline's 36 assists, broke the tie with a kill and Kerstyn Cline followed with an ace as the Silver Knights (37-2) took the lead for good.
"I thought it was a great match between two very good teams and I think two very good programs," said Summers, who watched Carpenter produce 13 kills and 10 blocks while Shay Yonaley added 10 points, two aces and 21 digs.
"I just think it was a dead even match and we had some lucky balls that happened to fall in and they always say to win something you got to be lucky and we had some lucky hits that just went to places you can't normally put it."
Torrye Cline added 17 points, three aces and 16 digs in the finals as the Silver Knight defense made the difference in the end. TCHS also got a dozen digs from Kerstyn Cline and nine more from Carly Fletcher.
"I think it helped us because we saved most of our energy," Wable added of getting to rest for more than an extra hour after sweeping the Titans in the semifinals. "This is good for us and our season, but we have to concentrate on sectionals."
Wirt County (27-11-3) setter Emily Ohrn registered 50 assists, six points and four kills in the championship setback. Leah Haines (14), Summers (11) and Makayla Bell (10) paced the orange and black in service points.
Williamstown, now 29-8-1, knocked off Gilmer County by scores of 25-18, 25-20 and 25-21 in the consolation match. Jessie Kerns had six aces and 18 assists while Kenzie Smith had three aces and 14 assists. The 'Jackets were led in kills versus the Titans by Lincoln Postlewaite (eight), Ciara Flowers (seven), Carley Ellison (seven), Smith (six) and Lauren Amos (five).
