Stokes helps Ohio to victory

Photo by Kailin Hughes
Oak Glen’s Mckenzi Martin attacks between block attempts from Marietta’s Anna Ritter and Wellsville’s Presley Stokes (9) on Sunday at the OVAC All-Star Game.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE –Some of the top senior volleyball talent from around the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference took to the court Sunday at the ECO Center in St. Clairsville for one final hurrah.

When an attack error that sailed over the line for match point, it was the Ohio squad that emerged victorious in four sets, 25-15, 25-21, 21-25, 15-4.

The Kaye Sechrest-led Buckeyes quad jumped out to a commanding lead in the first set, thanks in large part to the play of Warren’s Madyson Long, a 5-foot-11 outside hitter with a penchant for hammering home solid kills.

Long, who averaged five kills per set her senior season, totaled five of six in the first set as Ohio raced out to a 21-9 advantage.

Her fifth scoring strike put Ohio up 24-15 before a block resulted in set point and Ohio taking an early 1-0 advantage.

The second set was more nip and tuck, with neither team gaining more than a one or two point advantage midway through the set.

West Virginia recorded a block on a Long kill attempt to cut the deficit to 14-13 before the Buckeyes went on a quick run.

A couple kills and attack errors saw Ohio run its lead to 19-13 before an Addison Kitsmiller kill shot momentarily stopped the bleeding.

A couple of unforced errors allowed West Virginia to further close the gap, and when Oak Glen’s Mckenzi Martin split a block attempt for a successful attack, the Mountaineers trailed only 22-18.

Union Local’s Olivia Wortman put Ohio ahead 24-19 before two successive blocks allowed the Mountaineers to narrow the gap again.

The second of those blocks saw Kitsmiller stuff Wellsville’s Presley Stokes at the net.

Stokes got her revenge the next point, hammering home one of her four kills for set point.

Maritn led the charge in the third set, allowing West Virginia to avoid the sweep.

Martin who finished with a match-high nine kills, really set the tone in the third set as West Virginia won 25-21.

The two teams agreed that the fourth set would be the final, regardless of outcome and that it would be the first to 15 points.

That meant a tie was a possibility, but Ohio came out on point in the final set, with Marietta’s Ari Buckley and Long led the final charge in a relatively one-sided 15-4 deciding set.

Stokes had four kills for Ohio, while Martin had nine kills for West Virginia.

Between sets 2 and 3 the OVAC announced its players of the year, with Conotton Valley’s Ava Williams (Class A), Caldwell’s Chesne Long and Wellsville’s Stokes (AA), Laura Carbonall of Linsly and Gianna Chirpas of Martins Ferry (AAA), Oak Glen’s Martin (AAAA) and Morgtantown’s Sydney Buck (AAAAA).