MARVIN, N.C. – It was fitting that one of North Carolina’s scariest teams, clad in orange, got the chance to take the court on Halloween night.

Marvin Ridge’s win over Reagan ended the same way all 27 matches against in-state opponents have, without a set dropped.

The Mavericks’ 3-0 victory on Thursday night punched their ticket to Saturday’s 4A state championship at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh.

Marvin Ridge will face eastern champion Cardinal Gibbons, the state’s only remaining unbeaten team.

The Mavericks never looked back after building up a 10-5 lead in the first set. Natalie Unkrich and Karsyn Baylog held the lead with a pair of kills and extended it to as much as six late in the frame.

Gabby Nichols’ biggest swings of the night closed Reagan’s deficit to as little as 24-23, but the Raiders couldn’t break through.

Marvin Ridge’s 25-23 win in the opening frame set the table for a runaway second set victory.

Errors from the road side quickly piled up. Four combined aces from Katie Meewes and Kiley Petras inflated the lead to 17-7. Petras built up a wall at the net and slammed down set point at 25-13 to establish a 2-0 lead in the contest.

Reagan showed life early in the third with their backs to the wall. Nichols sent down a pair of kills, and Carly Edwards extended the Raiders’ early lead to 7-2.

The lead would be short-lived. 14 of the next 17 points fell in favor of the Mavericks. On the outside, Ashley Murray was at her best.

Marvin Ridge’s five seniors carried the load and secured a 25-19 third set win to seal the match.

Just as Baylog did in the first and Petras did in the second, Murray dominated the third. Libero Izzy Perkins was able to rack up her 1,500th career dig in the process, and Meewes who recently passed 1,300 assists kept the ship steady with dazzling passes and sets.

All five will play their final match for the Mavericks on the state’s biggest stage.

The win improves Marvin Ridge’s record to 34-3. The Mavericks have swept their last 22 matches played, and all 5 sets against Reagan this season.

Saturday’s match has a start time to be determined on Friday by the NCHSAA. Cardinal Gibbons advanced as the 4A east champion thanks to a sweep of 2-seed D.H. Conley.

The Crusaders and Mavericks ended the regular season ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in HighSchoolOT’s statewide Top-25 volleyball poll.

Source: highschoolot.com