by Jamie Harris
In a thrilling display of resilience and teamwork, the Berkeley Springs Lady Indians volleyball team made program history Tuesday night, October 28, sweeping Moorefield 3-0 (28-26, 25-21, 29-27) in the opening round of the Class AA Region II Volleyball Championships at the Berkeley Springs High School gym.
The victory marked what is believed to be the program’s first-ever regional tournament win, a milestone Head Coach Ryan Fincham and his team had set their sights on since the season began.
“At the beginning of this season, I asked the girls what our team goal was going to be,” said Coach Fincham. “They set three goals: 1. To have fun, 2. To have a winning record and 3. To win a regional match. Some people might say that winning a regional match is not a big deal, but it’s a huge step for this program.”
Despite missing outside hitter Abigail Close, who was competing in the Regional Soccer Championship, the Lady Indians played with heart and chemistry. Captains Maddie Close and Macey Fincham led the charge, rallying the team from behind in all three sets, including a dramatic comeback in the third, where they trailed 20-10 before storming back to win 29-27.
“It was the most exciting set of the year,” Fincham added. “The crowd was on the edge of their seats.”
Match Leaders
- Moorefield
- Kills: Macey Fincham (11), Maddie Close (9), Bailee Diehl (6), Cambria Andrews (4)
- Digs: Ryleigh Poist (26), Maddie Close (21), Cambria Andrews (13), Lily Barkley (12)
- Serve Receives: Ryleigh Poist (28), Cambria Andrews (16), Lily Barkley (14)
- Aces: Cambria Andrews (6)
- Blocks: Bailee Diehl (1)
- Set Assists: Maddie Close (25)
With the win, Berkeley Springs improved to 11-8 on the season.
Two days later, the Lady Indians traveled to Philippi to face the top-ranked Philip Barbour Colts. The Colts, a perennial powerhouse in Class AA, swept Berkeley Springs in straight sets (25-6, 25-12, 25-8), sending the Lady Indians into the consolation bracket.
“As a coach, all I can ask my players is to play hard every point, and the girls did that,” said Fincham. “We’ve had fun this year, stayed positive, and enjoyed every part of the journey.”
Berkeley Springs faced Moorefield again in an elimination match on Monday, November 3 at 6 p.m. at Philip Barbour High School. A win would send the Lady Indians back into a rematch with the Colts, where they would need to win twice to advance to the Class AA State Volleyball Championships.
