Patriots clinch crown

Nothing follows up an important, emotional win like another one. Ask coach Mark Ragland, whose Albemarle volleyball team knocked off Brooke Point on senior night, 3-1 (25-8, 25-9, 17-25, 25-11) to clinch the school’s first outright regular season Commonwealth District title since 2002 on Tuesday.

The win comes a day after the Patriots rallied to win the last two games to defeat rival Colonial Forge, a team that had won the district the past six seasons.

“I thought that we stepped up to the plate [Monday] night and played with a lot of enthusiasm and confidence,” Ragland said of the win over Colonial Forge.

The victory was extra special for the senior quartet, who concluded their regular season career with a memorable night. Meg Carpenter, Abby Hendrix, Katie Weatherill and Hannah Lawson each played a key role in the contest.

When asked just how special it was to come out the next night and take the elusive district trophy, Ragland gave credit to his team, especially the four Albemarle seniors.

“We played them out of position a little bit,” he admitted, “so we weren’t real sharp tonight, but they had a good time and that was part of the objective. It was a great way to honor their achievements here at Albemarle.”

Lawson led the team with nine kills, Hendrix had a team-high 13 assists, Weatherill added ten service points and six kills, and Carpenter did it all with 12 assists, six service points and three kills. Junior Megan Napolitano also had a big night, with 14 service points, four aces and a pair of kills.

The Patriots (16-3, 13-0 CD) waltzed through the first two games, taking the first 25-8. In the second, Brooke Point grabbed its first lead of the night at 2-1, but Albemarle stormed back to score the next six and 19 of the next 22 points en route to a 25-9 score.

The Black Hawks responded, taking the third game 25-17, just when it looked like Albemarle might sweep its opponent. Ragland touched on how last year’s state championship team, with six senior leaders, always had a never-say-die attitude, and admitted that it took a while, but that he now sees that same instinct in this year’s bunch.

“A lot of the girls have found their niche and have stepped up, and the seniors have given great leadership,” said Ragland. “It’s been a lot of fun to watch them grow and develop, especially in the last month.”

After trailing 2-1 again in the fourth game, Weatherill and Hendrix notched some important service points to help the Patriots pull away, 25-11, and each of the seniors walked off the court to ovations and hugs from their coaches and teammates.

“The family that’s here, that’s what I’m definitely going to miss the most,” said Carpenter. “I’ve never been so close with a group of teammates.”

Weatherill added: “The memories, the sweat that we’ve sweated on that court, and the chemistry that we built throughout the years with each other and with past players — it’s always going to be a memory and we’ll always be family.”

The win also clinched home court advantage for the Pats in the district tournament, which begins Oct. 29, and at least one home game in the Northwest Region tournament.

Hendrix talked about the importance of not having to make the trip to Northern Virginia like last year.

“I’m excited that we get to host, just because our schedule is so much more difficult compared to everybody else in our district,” said Hendrix. “We’re traveling twice a week sometimes, two hours away, whereas most teams only have to travel once a season this far away.”

Carpenter added: “It means a lot to do it this year, especially in our senior year.”

Many of the players from last year’s team came from all around to catch the big Colonial Forge game on Monday.

Ragland knows that the seniors’ leadership will be key if the Patriots hope to return to defend their state title.

“It was great to see all of the alumni supporting us,” said Lawson. “We just have to keep a good mindset and not get too cocky. We have a title to defend, and from now on, when I walk in this gym, I’m going to be looking up at that [state championship] banner.”

Lawson would like nothing more than to add an ’09 next to ’08 on that banner.