Triton Central captures first volleyball sectional title since 2020

CHARLOTTESVILLE – With Heritage Christian building momentum off a third set win Saturday in the sectional championship match against Triton Central, the Tigers needed a fast start to the fourth set.

Enter Lucy May, who had just one kill and one block in a third set loss that kept the Eagles alive. The junior outside hitter delivered an emphatic spike to make it 3-0, had another kill for a 4-1 advantage, then smashed another swing at the net off a Heritage Christian block attempt for a 5-4 lead.

May had back-to-back big kills to push the lead to 14-10 and did so again that completed a Triton Central 8-0 run that broke the Eagles once and for all.

May had eight kills in set four to lead Triton Central to its first sectional championship since 2020 -- 25-21, 28-26, 18-25, 25-16.

“She has a heavy arm and she likes to swing hard,” said first-year Triton Central coach Lyndsey Skipton. “You’ve got to go with what works and if they are not going to stop her you just keep going (to her).”

May, who broke Ella Blair’s program record for kills in a season with 315, had seven kills in the opening set Saturday night in a rematch of a five-set match earlier this season won by the Eagles.

Triton Central never trailed until late in set two as Heritage Christian struggled with an effective serve, but the Eagles kept it close.

A Kenley Mitchell kill tied the set at 24-24 and forced Triton Central to take a timeout. Ella Mensch followed with one of several emphatic spikes she had against the Tigers, and the Eagles were one point away from evening the match.

Gwyn Williams answered back with a kill off a block attempt to tie the set. Mensch got in position for another big swing that pushed the Eagles to set point again.

Mitchell served long, Heritage Christian’s eighth service error of the set, and Mensch missed wide to deliver set point to Triton Central.

Setter Audrey Darlage went to middle hitter Addison Gibbs and the junior finished the set for a 2-0 lead.

“That was huge. That put us on the advantage for sure,” said Skipton. “It put them on their heels. Heritage Christian came out ready to battle that third set and that’s what they did.”

Heritage Christian took the lead at 5-4 in set three and never trailed again. Mensch, Mitchell and Alex Brown combined for 12 kills in the set while Triton Central could not find its rhythm.

“I didn’t think we were running our offense very well in that third set,” said Skipton. “Our serves weren’t necessarily aggressive and we weren’t getting them out of system.”

Leading 20-11 in the fourth set, May produced a block at the net and Williams followed with a kill to make it 22-11.

The Eagles scored the next three points forcing the Tigers to take one more timeout.

Savanna Plew pushed Triton Central a point closer to the win with a kill. Brown answered back with a kill and a block to make it 23-16.

Williams, the only Tiger on a deep roster that does not leave the court, finished off a Darlage set to create match point.

Plew’s third service ace of the match set off the celebration.

May finished with a match-high 21 kills. Williams added 12 kills and 19 digs. Maryrose Felling and Darlage combined for 43 assists.

Triton Central reached the championship match with a 25-18, 25-20, 24-26, 25-20 win Saturday afternoon over Indianapolis Scecina.

May had nine kills against the Crusaders. Alaina Darlage collected 11 digs and Maecy Cord had four aces.

Triton Central’s first regional appearance in five years will come at Morristown High School. The Tigers (23-8) will face Northeastern (22-9), who defeated Hagerstown, 22-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-18, Saturday to capture the program’s third sectional championship in the last four seasons. Neither program has won a regional title.

The regional championship match at Morristown will start at 4 p.m.

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