‘Rapp’ defeated Charger girls 3-2 in Tuesday’s region final in Saluda
Middlesex High School’s (MHS) volleyball team is going to the state tournament for the sixth time in the eight years that Brian Walton has been its coach.
The Lady Chargers defeated Westmoreland on Nov. 6 in the Region 1A semi-finals, earning them a spot at “States.”
However, on Tuesday, Nov. 12, Middlesex lost 3-2 to the visiting Rappahannock Lady Raiders in the region finals. As Region 1A runner-up, the Lady Chargers will travel to Region 1B champ Altavista near Lynchburg on Saturday, Nov. 16 for the opening round of the state tournament. The Middlesex Chargers-Altavista Colonels game time is tentatively set for 2 p.m. at Altavista Combined School, 904 Bedford Ave., Altavista.
Middlesex had defeated Rappahannock of Warsaw twice in the regular season. However in the Region 1A final on Tuesday, Middlesex won the first two sets 25-21 and 25-15. Rappahannock rallied, winning the rest 25-18, 30-28 and 15-8.
Regional Semifinal
On Nov. 6, the Lady Chargers defeated Westmoreland in three sets — 25-22, 25-13 and 25-10.
In the first set, Westmoreland got going early and led 16-8 and stretched the lead to 20-14 before the Lady Chargers started to rally, scoring 10 unanswered points to make it 24-20. Middlesex won 25-22. Lady Chargers Hailey Bruce had eight kills and Carly Jessie had five kills.
Lady Charger middle hitter Karlie Morris, the Tidewater District player of the year, set a new school record for total career kills. Morris has 315 kills on the season and is averaging 17 kills per game in post-season play.
Setting specialist Addy Heasley set a MHS school record for total career assists. She has 539 assists this season.
Morris and Heasley join teammates Hailey Bruce and libero Libby Oliver, who has 272 digs this season, on the first team All-Tidewater District. All are seniors.
Lady Chargers making second team All-Tidewater District include juniors Carly and Courtney Jessie, and sophomore Rori Stuart.
Middlesex won its fifth Tidewater District Tournament in eight years on Oct. 30, defeating visiting West Point in the finals in three straight sets — 25-23, 25-10 and 25-17. MHS Coach Brian Walton was co-coach of the year for the Tidewater District, sharing the title with King William Coach Tiffany Ward.
