Parkersburg's Ava Sayre sets a ball during a Class AAAA, South Region high school volleyball game (Photo by Tim Stephens)

ONA — As did the Dodgers to the Blue Jays in the World Series, as did Lucy to Charlie Brown with a football, Cabell Midland teased Parkersburg.

The Knights (43-5) fell behind the Big Reds (20-17) considerably before storming back to win 3-0 Monday in the WVSSAC Class AAAA South Region volleyball tournament at the Castle.

The 25-21, 25-23, 25-16 victory propels Cabell Midland to the state tournament Nov. 11-13 at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center.

“I’m thrilled, absolutely thrilled,” Knights first-year coach Emily Gaskins said. “These girls have worked so hard all year. You can’t convince me there’s another team that wants this more.”

The Big Reds, who enter the losers bracket of the double-elimination tournament, appeared to want it, too, especially early in each set. Parkersburg led 8-2 in the first set, 7-1 in the second and 6-5 in the third.

Parkersburg's Kennedy Porter hits a shot over the net during the Class AAAA, South Region volleyball tournament Monday at Cabell Midland High School in Ona. (Photo by Tim Stephens)

“Yeah, I don’t know what that was about,” Cabell Midland senior Jilly Yost said, with a laugh.

Whatever it was, Parkersburg was happy to have the lead.

“We just couldn’t put it away,” Parkersburg coach Tammy Fisher said. “We had a hard time putting it away.”

The Big Reds will play Hurricane, Oak Hill or Buckhannon-Upshur on Wednesday for a trip to the state tournament.

In the opening set, Lucy Johnson made a kill to start Cabell Midland’s comeback from six points down. Katie Lawson’s smash to the back line gave the Knights a 13-12 lead they never relinquished. Cabell Midland extended the advantage to six points on a Lawson ace.

Parkersburg drew within 24-21, but Johnson secured the final point.

The Big Reds jumped to a 7-1 lead in the second set before Yost’s kill sparked a 10-4 run to give the Knights the lead. Cabell Midland extended the margin to seven points on an ace by Payton Bowyer, only to see Parkersburg rally within 24-23 on a point by Kelina Utietiang. Lawson, though, scored the set-winner for a 2-0 lead.

Parkersburg led 6-5 in the third set after Layke Smith deftly dropped a shot between Knights defenders. A pair of hitting errors, though, erased the lead and the Knights went on a 13-2 run to take control.

The Big Reds whittled the deficit to six points but pulled no closer.

“Parkersburg came to play today,” Gaskins said. “They were very aggressive from the start. I didn’t expect anything less. Tammy’s a great coach. You know when you play Parkersburg you’re going to get good volleyball.”

Gaskins complimented the Big Reds’ Kennedy Porter.

“She tore us up today,” Gaskins said. “She was phenomenal.”

A pair of individual accomplishments highlighted the match. Cabell Midland’s Carley Brewster recorded her 500th career dig. Parkersburg setter Ava Sayre made her 1,000th career assist.

“We didn’t know until the end, so we didn’t get to celebrate,” Fisher said. “We’re pretty excited about her doing that.”

Gaskins said she was thrilled for Brewster, who played three seasons at Huntington High before joining the Knights.

“I’m so proud of her,” Gaskins said. “She’s been such an asset to us this season. To have her her senior year and have her hit this milestone with us is so exciting. We’re happy to celebrate that with her.”