NCHSAA State 1-A Volleyball Championship

ALLEGHANY OUTLASTS DEFENDING CHAMP PRINCETON IN NCHSAA 1-A VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

RALEIGH — Senior middle hitter Jade Shepherd helped lead Alleghany to a four-set victory over defending champion Princeton on Saturday in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 1-A volleyball championship at the Raleigh Convention Center.

Alleghany jumped in front quickly, winning the first two sets by 25-20 and 25-21. Then Princeton got off to a quick start in the third set, going up 6-1 and holding on to take a 25-19 victory. The fourth set stayed close, with Princeton leading for a while until an Alleghany spurt gave the Lady Trojans an 18-14 lead and they went on to a 25-20 triumph.

Shepherd had 11 kills and only one error for the victorious Trojans and was named the championship Most Valuable Player. Jenna Eisner also had 11 kills for the winner and Mookie Miller had 15 digs.

Daisy Eklund paced Princeton with 21 kills and 10 digs and Taylor Carroll was credited with 11 kills.

Princeton was the defending champion, although there was a Cinderella feel last year as the Bulldogs won it by getting hot at the right time last year as the 10th seed in the Eastern half of the draw. This year the Bulldogs were the third seed in the East and finished 27-2 overall.

Alleghany, in its first trip to the NCHSAAA volleyball championship, wound up 26-1 and ended the season with a 25-match winning streak.