Eagles region champs

by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
slewis@digitalsports.com

ASHLAND - Mills Godwin doesn't have Katelyn Meeks (Radford), Alyssa Foster (VCU), Delanie Dolan and Jennifer Mallard (UNCW) or E.A. Lafoon (U.Va.-Wise) on their high-school campus anymore.

But the Eagles have a region trophy despite losing seven seniors to graduation, including the aforementioned five, beating Hanover 3-0 Thursday night at Patrick Henry High School.

It is an unforseen development in girls Central Region volleyball. Godwin, from 1-9 and now region titlists ready to host a Group AAA state semifinal game.

"A lot of it was we finally got healthy," Godwin coach Jason Garrett said. "We were missing a lot of kids earlier this year. Maggie Murphy was out with an ACL injury, and then every time you turned around someone was under the weather or out with an injury, something minor, major, whatever."

Whatever Godwin did Thursday they could bottle and sell anywhere. The passion, the heart, the execution was all there.

It was just the opposite for Hanover, coming off of an emotional five-game win over Deep Run in the region semifinals. The Hawks didn't have their best execution, and Godwin did.

The Eagles took the first game 25-19 leading by four or more the entire way.

The second game ended with the same score as the Eagles dominated even more. Everything was going the Eagles' way as a Liz Drewry spike teetered on the net before falling on Hanover's side for a Godwin 12-10 lead.

The advantage ballooned to 16-10 on a Drewry ace, 19-12 on a Drewry kill. She was sensational once again with 16 kills, 10 digs and two aces.

"It feels so good, we wanted this so badly," said Murphy, who had 10 digs. "I'm so proud of my team. I love everybody."

Everybody started to get in sync for the Hawks as they tried to duplicate their Deep Run comeback only 24 hours later. Kristin Carpenter's blistering kill tied things at 13 in the third game.

Kills by Taylour Hopkins and Ryane Majewski forced a Godwin timeout at 17-14 as Hanover's rowdy crowd encouraged their Capital District champions.

Carpenter's ace at 19-14 made it seem as though as fourth game was imminent.

But the Eagles went on an 11-4 run to end the contest. Vesna Bacic (10 kills) had a big ace in the bolt.

Both teams advance to the state Group AAA tournament, but the Hawks will be on the road.

"Going through the top four teams in the Central Region," Garrett said, "and being able to come out and come away with victories is a testament to how hard these kids have been working from the beginning of the season to now."

M. Godwin 25 25 25
Hanover    19 19 23
Records: Mills Godwin (14-11); Hanover (21-3)