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Locked In: Monticello volleyball shakes off scrappy Western effort for win

Photo by Bart Isley

Earlier this year, Monticello volleyball knocked off Western Albemarle for the first time in more than a decade.

 

Thursday, they completed the first season sweep of the Warriors in program history, knocking off Western 3-1.

 

“It’s teaching them a lot about their tenacity in each and every game,” said Monticello coach Meg Carpenter. “Whether they’re up or down, they equally have to fight, they equally have to play their own game. They have to stick to what we know.”

 

The Mustangs shook off 25-22 loss in game one to win 25-22, 25-14 and then pull out a back-and-forth game five 26-24. Monticello struggled to find a groove in that first game, which Carpenter attributed in part to the excitement of playing a rival on the road.

 

“We were trying to play a different game, getting excited playing Western on their turf,” Carpenter said. “But it makes a real difference when they stick to the game they know.”

 

Monticello got back to what they know quickly, with a well-rounded effort by Makysha Brock lifting the Mustangs. Brock finished with 11 kills, 19 digs and a whopping six aces, including one late ace in game four that was critical to the Mustangs holding on for the win.

 

“She continues to improve, she has the right mentality going into each game, she doesn’t let points for the team or against the team affect the way that she plays,” Carpenter said.

 

Allie Cognata also put together a monster night with 10 kills and 17 digs. Cognata’s play of late, particularly on the defensive end, has helped push the Mustangs into position to grab the Jefferson District’s top seed in the Region 3C tournament with two wins each over the Warriors and Fluvanna County.

 

“Allie has definitely stepped up, she has known her role on the team and that she can help the momentum stay up,” Carpenter said. “She busts her behind out there, she played a really great game.”

 

Jewell Pugh’s 33 assists helped power the Monticello offense while Amaya Gibson steadied Monticello on the backline with 13 digs.

 

It was a strong effort for the Warriors, who were playing without both their starting outsides, Cassidy Wilson and Sarah Rhea. Their absence prompted Caity Driver, Lilly Davis and Abby Johnson to step up, with Driver notching 14 kills and a big-time eight blocks while Johnson had eight kills and three blocks and Davis had 12 kills and 17 digs.  The Warriors seemed to return nearly everything the Mustangs’ offense unleashed, with Natalie Peck led the Warriors with 21 digs while Amber Parker had 13 digs and Amelia Nichols had 10 digs. Serra McCance finished with 32 assists.

 

The loss likely puts Western into the Jefferson District’s one-game playoff matchup for the Region 3C tournament bid with Fluvanna in late October that’ll determine the second automatic bid. If the Mustangs can win out (they face Charlottesville and Powhatan next week) they’ll lock into the top region bid.

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