RALEIGH, N.C. — McMichael coach Marty Woods, the state’s leader in volleyball victories, didn’t win her first state championship until her 45th season. She only had to wait two years for her second.

The Phoenix won the N.C. High School Athletic Association 2A volleyball championship game against Seaforth on Saturday at N.C. State’s Reynolds Coliseum by a 3-2 score (17-25, 25-22, 25-18, 22-25, 15-13).

The championship came in thrilling fashion, as McMichael, which led by as much as 12-5 in the fifth set, had to fend off a Seaforth team that wouldn’t go away.

The Hawks won eight of the next 11 points to nearly deny McMichael.

Woods now has 836 career victories.

“(It’s) equally as special because it is a new group of players that come out here. Three of these (players) were returning from that team and they’re the only ones, so everybody on that team is new to us,” Woods said. “For me as a coach, I guess you get it in your blood a little bit. When you win one, you want to come back.”

Senior outside hitter Jenna Rosenbaum, one of a handful of Phoenix players who were on the 2022 championship team, led the championship effort for McMichael. She mixed up her attacks and was a force when serving, helping McMichael come back after dropping the first set to the Hawks.

Rosenbaum was named MVP after posting 20 kills.

“I know two years ago, for me, I was on the court and this year it felt just as insane and just as crazy, but it just hit a little bit harder this year because I know that I’m never going to put this jersey back on again, and this is my family,” Rosenbaum said.

McMichael (30-2), the No. 1 seed from the West, was making its third appearance and will add a second trophy next to its 2022 title. Its only two losses this season came in best-of-3 matches at Kings Mountain’s Mountaineer Invitational.

Seaforth (25-5), the No. 4 seed from the East, was making its first appearance in a volleyball state championship match. The school opened its doors in 2021. All four of its regular season losses were to 4A teams.

Seaforth came out firing in the first set, winning 25-17, as setter Maris Honeycutt led the offense in getting the ball out to the Hawks’ bevy of hitters, with sophomore Abigail Valgus stepping up.

Honeycutt is one of five seniors, and one of two who played for extended periods on Saturday, who were freshmen when Seaforth opened its doors. The Hawks were 7-10 that first season but haven’t had a losing season since.

She had 26 assists, 15 digs, and seven kills in her final match.

“I just love this team and I’ve been so committed ot this program for the last four years,” Honeycutt said. ” I could’ve broken my left leg and I would’ve still been out there fighting.”

McMichael fought off long rallies in the second set, built a lead, then had to withstand a Seaforth rally before winning 25-22 to level the match at 1-1. The lead was 17-13 but shrank to 22-21 at one point before Avery Chandler and Jenna Rosenbaum steadied the Phoenix attack.

Chandler had 10 kills.

In the third set, McMichael jumped out to a 15-5 lead, consistently causing issues in Seaforth’s serve-receive. The Hawks climbed back as Ally Forbes’ aces and Keira Rosenmarkle’s attacks pulled Seaforth to within three points, 17-14. McMichael, led by setter Zoey Bradford, calmed the storm and took the set 25-18 to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

Bradford ended with 32 assists and 11 digs for McMichael. Rosenmarkle had 19 kills for the Hawks while Forbes, the daughter of UNC baseball coach Scott Forbes, had a match-high 24 kills.

With the Hawks’ backs to the wall, Josie Valgus, a TCU volleyball recruit, was more active in attack to start the fourth set for Seaforth. McMichael led 10-4 early but Seaforth rallied to tie it up at 13-all as Forbes got hot again. Seaforth took its first lead in the set at 17-16 and expanded it to 20-17. McMichael tied it at 20-all, but Seaforth was strong at the net to win it 25-22.

Valgus had a “triple double” of 10 kills, 20 assists, and 12 digs.

“It just shows we have grit and toughness and we can fight when we’re down,” said Seaforth co-head coach Helen May. “They are fighters, through and through.”

McMichael came out of the gates hot in the first-to-15 fifth set, leading 4-1 and 9-1 to force two Seaforth timeouts. The rally never truly broke for McMichael, however, and the Phoenix led 12-5. Seaforth, with Kendall Anderson serving, cut it to 13-9 and forced McMichael to call timeout.

A Forbes kill made it 13-10, a Josie Valgus kill made it 13-11, an attacking error made it 13-12, and McMichael called another timeout with the Seaforth crowd rocking. The next Seaforth serve was too high, putting McMichael a point away from victory. Forbes’ next kill cut it to 14-13, but the ensuing serve was too high, giving the Phoenix the state title.

Before the game, McMichael’s Chandler and Seaforth’s Anderson were named NCHSAA sportsmanship award winners.