Lady Colts fall to Central in thrilling title game
Trending
CHARLESTON -- Being one of the Class AA powerhouses in the state, winning can hurt for the Philip Barbour volleyball team when the ultimate goal falls just short.
The second-seeded Lady Colts, playing in the state tournament for the 25th straight season, lost a heartbreaking five-set match to top-seed Wheeling Central in Thursday's championship game played inside the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center.
It was the second straight season Philip Barbour fell in the title game. The Lady Colts were seeking their eighth championship in school history under head coach Heather Halfin.
A strong group of seniors will be lost to graduation, including 2025 all-state first-team selections Izzy Knotts and Finley Carpenter, but history shows Philip Barbour volleyball never goes through a rebuilding season … it just reloads and remains in contention for a state banner every year under Halfin.
In Thursday's contest, the Lady Colts bounced back from a 25-22 loss in the first set by taking the next two by scores of 25-21 and 25-20.
The Lady Maroon Knights (29-4) responded with a slim 25-23 verdict in the fourth set, then captured the final set again by two points, 15-13, to capture their first volleyball title in school history.
Knotts closed out her historic career, which included over 1,000 kills and digs and more than 500 blocks, with 24 kills on Thursday, while Carpenter had 49 assists and freshmen Gabi Taylor and Lynlea Moss 16 and 12 kills, respectively.
Teagan Peters led Central with 21 kills.
Knotts and Carpenter were named to the Class AA all-tournament team, along with Central's Teagan Peters, Olivia Stevens and Chloe Groome, South Harrison's Kennedy Southern, Charleston Catholic's Nora Aliff, and James Monroe's Mya Dunlap.
Philip Barbour finished with a 47-10-1 record.