Cabell Midland's Katie Lawson powers a spike past the attempted block of Spring Valley's Ava Robertson during the Knights' three set Mountain State Athletic Conference championship match victory Saturday inside Memorial Fieldhouse. The Knights secured a repeat. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

PARKERSBURG — Cabell Midland seniors Jillian Yost, Carley Brewster and Madison Mount wanted to go out as repeat Mountain State Athletic Conference champions and that’s exactly what the Knights did here Saturday inside Memorial Fieldhouse as head coach Emily Gaskins’ program knocked off rival Spring Valley 25-23, 24-26 and 15-12 in the title match.

Yost put up a finals match-high 16 assists while Brewster had three aces and Mount five kills. Lucy Johnson led the way with nine downed spikes while Lyla Johnson had six and Katie Lawson a quartet.

“We really practiced super hard this week. We lost in the championship here last week (Spookfest to Hedgesville). We really came in and we really focused in practice and worked on what we needed to work on to fix ourselves,” admitted Yost. “We knew this was going to be a big deal.

“We had a very big target on our back because we won it last year. We really wanted to go back-to-back this year. We are a very loud and funny team. You could not come into a practice and not laugh. We just honestly have so much fun together and I think we all just love each other very much.”

Emma Edwards had a match-high baker’s dozen kills for the Timberwolves of head coach Brooke Smith, who also received 14 assists, five kills and three aces from Avery Ellis.

Parkersburg's Ily Bowman goes up for a kill during Saturday's Mountain State Athletic Conference tournament inside Memorial Fieldhouse. The Big Reds fell to eventual champion Cabell Midland in the semifinals. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Spring Valley, which has lost four times to the Knights, led 15-13 in the opening set, but called timeout after a Yost ace made it 18-15 Knights. SVHS staved off a pair of set points and only trailed 24-23 following an Ava Robertson ace, but her next serve sailed long.

It looked like the Timberwolves would breeze to a second set win as libero Katie Dowis served for six straight points and a 21-14 bulge. However, the Knights clawed back and only trailed 24-21 following a Lawson kill and a Payton Bowyer ace. After another Lawson downed spike and then a kill by Lucy Johnson via a Brynn Ward assist it was even at 24. Spring Valley scored the final two points via a service error and then an attack error with Robertson at the line.

Addi Kigore’s assist on an Ellis kill had the ‘Wolves up 8-5 in set three, but the Knights kept within striking distance thanks to consecutive Lyla Johnson kills. Three straight points by Bowyer at the service line made it 11-9 as SVHS called timeout following a Lucy Johnson block of Ellis.

However, Aubrey Rutherford and Edwards delivered back-to-back downed spikes to square it, but Lucy Johnson answered with a pair of kills before it was 13-12 after Edwards’ last smash. Yost earned match point at the service line on an attack error as a Lucy Johnson kill had made it 14-12.

Cabell Midland, which had the top seed out of pool play, eliminated No. 4 Parkersburg 25-14 and 25-14 in the semifinals, while No. 7 SVHS knocked out No. 6 Hurricane 25-18 and 25-18.

Parkersburg South's Shy Hays lays out for an attempted dig during Saturday's Mountain State Athletic Conference tournament inside Memorial Fieldhouse. The Patriots had the No. 2 seed out of pool play, but were eliminated by eventual runner-up Spring Valley in the quarterfinals. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

The Big Reds, who got two aces, six assists and as many kills from Ava Sayre, pushed past No. 12 Capital in the quarterfinals by scores of 25-14 and 25-17. Kennedy Porter chipped in four kills for the red and white. The Cougars were led by Jada Fruit’s three aces, six assists and four kills.

Spring Valley started its tournament run by knocking off No. 2 Parkersburg South 25-16 and 25-13.

CMHS ousted Huntington 25-7 and 25-19 while the Redskins upset No. 3 Woodrow Wilson 22-25, 25-16 and 16-14.

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com