Western Albemarle’s Sarah Harper returned from an illness and “really took charge of the match,” as coach Lance Rogers put it, as the Warriors dispatched visiting Sherando in the Region II semifinals, 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 25-17, 25-14).

The Albemarle volleyball team kept its defense of the Group AAA title alive Thursday night, defeating Osbourn Park 3-1 (25-23, 25-19, 18-25, 25-19) in the Northwest Region semifinals.

Less than a week after claiming its eighth straight Jefferson District crown, Western Albemarle was poised to set its sights on accomplishing its first Region II title.

The Albemarle girls volleyball team kept its Group AAA title defense alive Tuesday night, downing Heritage in the Northwest Region quarterfinals.

The Western Albemarle senior got the result she was looking for, collecting 12 kills and 18 digs as the Warriors defeated Fluvanna County 3-1 (25-21, 25-19, 22-25, 25-23) in the district championship on the Flying Flucos’ home court.

But a slugfest is exactly what happened Thursday evening between St. Anne’s-Belfield and Covenant in an LIS volleyball match as the Eagles stopped the Saints 3-2 (22-25, 26-24, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9).

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.

In the Jefferson District, there is one team that has run the table in volleyball - Western Albemarle.

The Albemarle volleyball team got off to a slow start on Tuesday night, dropping the first game to Commonwealth District opponent Riverbend. The Patriots would rebound and take the next three games and eventually the match, 3-1 (23-25, 25-16,
25-20, 25-23).

Behind strong efforts from Alex Howerton and Sallie Cathcart, the Covenant volleyball team defeated St. Anne’s-Belfield 3-1 (25-18, 25-11, 17-25, 25-20) on Wednesday night.

The defending Jefferson District champion Warriors, though, held strong as the fourth set went to the limit, finally grabbing the set and the match, 3-1 (25-19, 25-23, 23-25, 28-26).

On Wednesday night, however, it was a veteran Western Albemarle team that looked like the champs, defeating the Patriots 25-19, 25-20, 25-22 in front of an energetic home crowd.

After two decades of coaching the Patriots, one of the finest volleyball coaches in the state of Virginia earned his just reward — a Group AAA crown.

Already an All-Northwest Region selection, a state champion and the school’s record holder for kills in a season, Kara Elder can add The Daily Progress’ 2008 Central Virginia Player of the Year award to her list of accolades.

After 20 seasons, Albemarle head coach and Virginia’s all-time wins leader Mark Ragland finally has his state title

“Coming back in that last game was really amazing,” said Patriots coach Mark Ragland. “When you’re up 2-0 and then everything turns against you, it’s really hard to find that inner strength.“

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

The Chargers, who lift weights after practice every day, used their strength and size to their advantage and ousted Western Albemarle from the Group AA tournament on Tuesday night.

The Warriors will travel to Chancellor today in the first round of the state tournament.

The Patriots will finally head back home for the Group AAA quarterfinals, the program’s fifth trip to the state tournament in the Mark Ragland era.

In Purcellville, Albemarle volleyball pulled off a monster upset in the Northwest Region Championship, as the Patriots knocked off home standing Loudoun Valley, 3-2.

In Woodbridge, Abby Hendrix dished out 42 assists as the Albemarle volleyball team clinched a trip to the Group AAA tournament with a 3-1 (19-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-18) victory over Forest Park in the Northwest Region semifinals.

Covenant made quick work of visiting Virginia Episcopal on Tuesday, dismantling the Bishops 3-0 (25-11, 25-18, 25-12) to advance to the state semifinals.

Albemarle defeated Patrick Henry 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-17) in the Northwest Region volleyball quarterfinals on Tuesday night.

Trailing visiting Heritage-Leesburg by three and facing the possibility of elimination in the first round of the Region II tournament, the Warriors rallied to win the decisive fifth game and clinch a 3-2 victory (25-18, 19-25, 16-25, 25-19, 15-12).

The Western Albemarle volleyball team continued its reign in the Jefferson District, capturing its seventh consecutive district tournament championship on Saturday at William Monroe High.

Behind a dominant game by senior Ellen Smethurst, the Eagles trounced the visiting Cougars 3-1 (25-20, 26-28, 25-18, 25-19) to win the LIS championship.

With the talent that graduated last season, it appeared that this year would be one of growing pains for Fluvanna County volleyball.

If you’re at all familiar with the Western Albemarle volleyball team, the next few words will sound very familiar: The Warriors are headed to the Jefferson District tournament finals.

Riley Martin, a freshman on Western Albemarle’s varsity volleyball team, has made an immediate impact in her starting role for the Warriors, who face Louisa County tonight in the Jefferson District tournament semifinals.