Pats get one step closer

It’s been eight years since Albemarle High went to the state semifinals, but after a strong 3-1 victory over past nemesis Frank W. Cox High Tuesday night, the Patriots are bound for Richmond’s Siegel Center.

“Last year, we got knocked out in the first round of regionals,” said senior Laura Gomez. “But we’re a Cinderella story this year.”

Indeed the Patriots are. After finishing second in the Commonwealth District, Albemarle faced an uphill climb throughout the playoffs, winning three-straight road matches to earn a Northwest Region title and the right to play at home. The squad was rewarded with a raucous home crowd that helped lift the Patriots to a victory by scores of 25-21, 19-25, 25-16, 25-16.

Gomez carried Albemarle (26-3) for huge stretches in the middle of the game and led the Patriots with 19 service points and 16 kills. Down the stretch though — with the Falcons loading up against Gomez, using two and sometimes three blockers — Albemarle turned to Kara Elder. During a critical 6-0 run that gave Albemarle an almost insurmountable 20-10 lead in the fourth game, Elder ripped off four of her 14 kills in the match, with several flying right down the line and just inside the back corner of the court. 

“No matter how many blockers they put up against Gomez, she finds a seam and hits it and then Elder comes in and takes control of the attack for a while,” said Albemarle head coach Mark Ragland. “It’s nice to have two people you can go to in those situations.”

That tandem also combined for five blocks against Cox.

Junior Hanna Lawson and senior Sara Deal also came up with a number of critical blocks and kills up front. Lawson finished with seven kills and two blocks, while Deal finished with seven kills and three blocks. Deal kept a number of critical balls alive too, coming up with big play after big play for the Patriots.

“Sara Deal stepped it up,” Gomez said. “From the beginning of the day, I saw she was focused — she got kills when we needed them and she slammed it so hard. She was definitely a game-changer for us tonight.”

As usual, junior setter Abby Hendrix set the table for the Patriots, dishing out 40 assists in the victory. Hendrix seemed to get in a better rhythm in game three and four as the Patriots pulled away after dropping the second game. When Hendrix gets going like she did against the Falcons, the Patriots are able to play at their desired fast and furious tempo. 

“I think having four matches against really good competition has brought out the best in our girls,” Ragland said. “Plus, the emotional energy that the seniors bring to this club is amazing.”

The Falcons played solid early on, but fell behind on big runs by the Patriots in the third and fourth games. Still, with just one starter back from its 2007 squad, Cox’s run to the state quarterfinals was an impressive one.

“I wasn’t expecting to get this far, and I can’t be but so greedy,” said Cox coach Claire LeBlanc.

It’s Albemarle that will advance, though, and head for the Siegel Center for a state semifinal match against Northern region champion Chantilly, which beat Central runner-up Hanover on Thursday.

“Even though there are a lot of numbers on the banner, these girls have only put one on there and that’s the regional this year,” Ragland said. “I think they really want to see how far they can go.”