Deep Run advances against Lady Titans

A Deep Run team that, by fan accounts, has been inconsistent this season looked consistently unstoppable in the Central Region Girls’ Volleyball Tournament Tuesday evening.

The Lady Wildcats used a sizeable height advantage to control play and take a 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-17) win over Cosby. Deep Run advances to Thursday night’s Central Region final against Mills Godwin and next week’s state tournament.

Cosby opened a 3-2 lead in the early going of the first set behind the service of senior Morgan Dowdy. Senior Jessica Melhorn and junior Kelsey Blum kept the Lady Titans ahead with their play at the net, but Deep Run came storming back.

Senior Mallory Woolridge got a block that pulled the team ahead 14-11. Cosby threatened but Woolridge kept the Lady Wildcats in the driver’s seat at 15-13 with a kill on the right side at the net that stayed just in on the sideline.

Cosby’s Abigayle Holt and Sydney Vaile pulled the team back within two at 17-15, but three unanswered points gave Deep Run the win.

The Lady Titans went on a 5-0 run to start the second set. Vaile and Melhorn combined at the net to give their team a seven-point advantage, but the Deep Run tandem of Woolridge and Chaney LeReau combined to chip away at the lead.

LeReau killed a shot near center net and then served up three points in a row to cut the Cosby lead to two at 12-10.

With a tenuous lead, Cosby’s Gabrielle Holt aced two serves to give her team a little padding.

However, Deep Run got the go-ahead point on a kill by LeReau and cruised to a 25-20 win.

The Lady Wildcats entered the third game on fire. Woolridge and LeReau again formed a wall at the net in the 25-17 win. Woolridge ended the evening with 10 kills, eight digs, four aces and three blocks; LaReau added 12 kills, 16 digs and four aces; and Suzy Rosser contributed six kills and seven digs.

Cosby was led by Melhorn with 14 kills and 14 digs. Holt recorded 25 assists. Cosby ends the year at 19-5.