By Sara Page, Midlothian Exchange
spage@midlothianexchange.com

The James River and Mills Godwin girls’ varsity volleyball teams were so evenly matched throughout the five set regional semifinal match on Tuesday evening that it was a shame to see either team walk away without the win.

Mills Godwin overcame deficits throughout the evening to pick up a 3-2 win (24-26, 25-15, 25-18, 23-25, 15-13) and advance to Thursday’s Central Region final against Deep Run. The Lady Wildcats were 3-0 winners over Cosby in the other semifinal match.

The Lady Rapids overcame a five-point deficit in the first set behind the net play of Taralyn Barnett, Kate Darlington and Cassie Stergar. Barnett killed a shot on the left side of the net to cut the Mills Godwin lead to four at 10-6 and put the Lady Rapids on a three-point run. Darlington and Stergar combined for a block on the left side to get James River on a two-point run, but Mills Godwin took control and opened up a seven-point lead.

The Lady Eagles appeared to get away from James River with the score at 22-13, but the Lady Rapids again fired up their net play.

Sophomore hitter Carol Pyszkowski recorded two blocks in a row during a nine-point run by the Lady Rapids. Behind Barnett’s serve James River pulled within one at 22-21 and tied the game at 22 on a beautiful, floating attack by Darlington, which proved unreturnable.

The teams went point-for-point, tying the game at 24 all, but Stergar put the set away on two consecutive blocks.

A raucous celebration by the Rapids added fuel to the Eagle fire and the team opened the second set with five unanswered points enroute to a 25-15 win.

Mills Godwin took a 2-1 lead in the third set behind the net play of senior Maggie Murphy, but James River wasn’t finished.

Long battles for points marked the fourth set. James River finally pulled ahead 22-19 behind the service of Stergar. Barnett and Pyszkowski put the game away from the net and sent the match into a tie-breaker.

Mills Godwin pulled out to a 3-0 lead and never trailed in the set. Murphy led the way for the Lady Eagles with 22 kills, 22 digs, six aces and one block and Meghan Meleski added 42 assists, 15 digs, four kills and two aces. The Lady Eagles will help represent the Central Region in next week’s VHSL AAA Tournament at the Siegel Center at Virginia Commonwealth University.

James River wraps up the season at 20-4. Leading the way was Julia Cushman with 42 assists, 31 digs, two blocks and an ace; Barnett with 13 kills, 24 digs and six aces, Pyszkowski with 13 kills and five blocks; and Kate Darlington with 10 kills and 15 digs.