Morgantown volleyball fends off University comeback to earn 3-1 rivalry victory
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MORGANTOWN – Rivalry matches rarely come easy, and Thursday's meeting between Morgantown and University High was no exception as the two sides met on the volleyball court.
The Mohigans had to fend off multiple rallies from UHS before securing a 3-1 victory, winning by scores of 25-23, 25-17, 22-25 and 29-27.
MHS managed to take control of the momentum early on, but the Hawks refused to go away after falling behind 2-0 in the match, taking the third and pushing their rivals to the limit in the fourth.
"We've been a slow-starting team this year," MHS head coach Abbie Wolfe said. "We've been working on some different rotations and making them more efficient, starting different servers in order to try to improve efficiency."
The opening set was tight throughout. UHS erased an early deficit and tied the score at 23 before the Mohigans found the final two points to claim a 25-23 win and a 1-0 lead in the match.
MHS carried that momentum into the second set, using a strong offensive rhythm to build leads of 13-7 and 17-11. The Mohigans continued to attack at the net and closed out the set, 25-17, to move within one set of the victory.
University answered in the third. The Hawks battled back from a late deficit, taking control with a 22-18 lead before finishing off a 25-22 win to extend the match.
"We didn't manage our errors well at critical times," Wolfe said. "And honestly, UHS is a scrappy team. They keep a lot of points alive that other teams don't, and their defense really lends itself to keeping them in it longer than usual."
The fourth set provided the drama expected in a crosstown rivalry.
Morgantown led 15-8 before the Hawks stormed back, tying the score at 19 and later taking a 22-21 advantage. The teams traded points through ties at 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 before the Mohigans finally secured the final two points for a 29-27 victory.
WVU commit and returning 2025 State Gatorade Player of the Year, Leah Greeny, delivered several key kills for Morgantown, including late points in both the first and fourth sets, as the Mohigans held off University to earn the 3-1 win.
Despite the defeat, UHS head coach Nick Lusk says he was proud of how his team played.
"I thought we really battled and fought through adversity tonight," Lusk said. "We had some nerves early on. We have six seniors but also have some freshmen and sophomores on the court who are learning from new experiences at this level. When we play with tempo and pace and swing well, I think we are a very good team."