Virgin Valley turns back The Meadows to win 3A girls volleyball state title

Facing The Meadows School — five-time defending state champions — and its rowdy student section on Saturday, Virgin Valley’s girls volleyball team was undaunted.

The Bulldogs rallied from an early loss, winning three straight sets to claim the state 3A title 25-27, 25-16, 25-22, 25-21.

“I knew we could do it,” Virgin Valley coach Kortney Tobler said. “I believed in this team all season. We’ve just been working our butts off all year long, and they really showed up today. I could not be more proud of this team.”

The Bulldogs, the Southern Region’s top seed who traveled to the championship venue of Sierra Vista High from Mesquite, are the only Nevada team to defeat the Mustangs this season — first in the regional playoffs and again Saturday.

Junior outside hitter Kinley Hughes led Virgin Valley with 22 kills, also contributing 14 digs, two blocks and a service ace. Senior libero Mady Wright had a team-best 23 digs and three aces.

“It just felt so surreal,” Hughes said. “We gave it all. (The Meadows) has won a lot, but we just came out hungry.”

The first set was an evenly-matched competition. The Bulldogs led 15-13 before the Mustangs scored six consecutive points to take the lead. Virgin Valley rallied back to tie it at 25 before The Meadows, the No. 2 seed from the Southern Region, clinched a 27-25 win.

In the second set, though, the Bulldogs seized momentum, never trailing in a 25-16 victory. After playing to a 12-all tie midway through the third set, Virgin Valley went on an 8-1 run and held off a late Mustangs charge.

After that, The Meadows appeared ready to make it a five-set title match, holding a 20-17 lead in the fourth set. The Bulldogs quickly found another gear, taking the lead, the win and the championship with a clinching 25-21 victory.

“We knew they were going to come for us,” Tobler said. “We knew a lot of their tendencies and we worked really hard on our game plan. I think it really paid off for us.”

Mustangs senior outside hitter Piper Kennedy finished with 15 kills, 11 digs and an ace. Freshman libero Olivia Brown had a team-high 11 kills and three service aces.

Girls

3A state soccer

No. 1N Truckee 2, No. 2N South Tahoe 0: At Reed, the Wolverines (22-2-2) defeated the Vikings (20-4-2) to claim the title in an all-north championship.

1A state volleyball

No. 1W Smith Valley 3, No. 2W Coleville 0: At Sierra Vista, the Bulldogs (26-11) rolled to a 25-18, 25-19, 26-24 win over the Wolves (19-9) to claim the championship.

Boys

3A state soccer

No. 2N Truckee 1, No. 1N South Tahoe 0: At Reed, the Wolverines (19-5-1) earned the crown with a victory over the Vikings (18-3-1).