Marvin Ridge faces traditional power in Saturday’s 4A volleyball state title match

Marvin Ridge carries a 22-match victory streak into Saturday’s N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A volleyball championship match against one of the state’s traditional powers in the sport.

The Mavericks (34-3) will face 11-time state champion Cardinal Gibbons (21-0) at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Reynolds Coliseum on the N.C. State campus in Raleigh.

The match will be carried live by the NFHS Network.

Marvin Ridge has been to the state finals once before — in 2014, as a 3A school — and the Mavericks won.

Cardinal Gibbons has an 11-1 state finals record, winning the title in three times in 2A, five times as a 3A school, and three times in 4A. The Crusaders lost in the 2008 2A championship.

Marvin Ridge advanced with a 3-0 sweep of Reagan on Thursday in the West Regional finals, and the Mavericks haven’t lost a set in the postseason.

Senior Ashley Murray (15 kills) and junior Natalie Unkrich (10 kills) led the Mavericks’ attack Thursday, with 6-foot-1 sophomore Victoria Simons adding six blocks. Junior Jillian Young totaled 18 assists.

For the season, senior Kiley Petras and Unkrich have been the offensive leaders. Petras has 194 kills, converting 54 percent of the time. Unkrich leads the team with 311 kills and has converted on 45.6 percent of her attempts.

Senior Karsyn Baylor is the defensive leader for coach Brook Hammers’ squad, averaging 7.5 digs per set.

Cardinal Gibbons has an outstanding defense, led by 5-9 senior Alina Ryan, a UCLA commit. Ryan is averaging 15.6 digs per set. The Crusaders will have a size advantage along the net, with 6-1 junior Mary Grace Gonyeau (238 kills, 51.3 percent) and 6-2 sophomore Amelia Belk (42 blocks).

The teams have one common opponent this season. Cardinal Gibbons beat Hoggard 3-0, and Marvin Ridge topped the Vikings 2-0.

The Marvin Ridge-Cardinal Gibbons match will be the nightcap on Saturday’s championship schedule at Reynolds Coliseum.

The other matches:

Class 2A: McMichael (32-3) vs. Seaforth (25-4), 11 a.m.

Class 1A: Polk County (21-3) vs. Perquimans (26-1), 1:30 p.m.

Class 3A: West Henderson (25-2) vs. J.H. Rose (24-4), 4 p.m.

This story was originally published October 31, 2024 at 10:18 PM.