Devilettes sweep Cyclones

When Eastern View grabbed the lead in game one of Thursday’s volleyball match between cross-town rivals, Culpeper’s Megan Chamberlin did her best to rally the troops.

Then she decided it would be better to lead by example.

“This was a really big game for us,” said Chamberlin, an outside hitter. “It was more mental than anything. We knew it was going to be a physical game because they have height, but it was nice for us to be able to overcome a few mistakes.”

After only tallying two kills in the opening game, Chamberlin exploded with 14 over the next two and led the Devilettes past Eastern View 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-8).

“Winning that first game showed that we have a lot of heart and we aren’t going to give up,” she said. “We’re strong all the way through, and everyone stepped up and played their game, and that’s all we can ask.”

CCHS (10-6 overall, 9-3 Battlefield) led for most of the first game, but Eastern View’s Lucie Kalfusova tied it at 20 with an ace. Captain Tori Johnson later gave the Cyclones a 22-21 lead with a soft shot that barely cleared the net.

“We played awesome in the first game,” EVHS coach Betty Jo Utz said. “We looked like the better team early on, and in that first game everyone came through.”

After Culpeper tied the game thanks to a kill from Chamberlin, Eastern View’s Taylor Stynes put the Cyclones (6-12, 6-6) back on top with an ace, but freshman Taylor Young gave the Devilettes the win with back-to-back aces and Utz said her team never recovered.

“I think if we had won that first game this whole match would have been completely different,” she said. “We could have taken stamina from that early win, and playing with a team like this should be verification in itself, but to the girls a loss is a loss.”

Culpeper may have looked a little shaky in the first game, but they took over after that and never looked back.

“We came in with some nerves tonight,” White said. “We knew a win would give us a 10-win season and go a long way to getting us to regionals, but we pulled it together and got the win.”

Chamberlin, a senior, scored from all over the court during the second game and rattled off four aces in a row to give the Devilettes a 24-13 lead, setting up Kristen Hall’s game-winning kill.

Culpeper built a huge lead in the third game as well, and Chamberlin once again came through — giving the Devilettes match point with an ace before an error by the Cyclones ended the contest.

“I’m proud of the way the girls played,” Utz said. “The only regret is that we lost whatever fire we had after that first game, and Megan (Chamberlin) had a great game.”

Chamberlin improved her resume for Battlefield District player of the year during Friday’s win, but she didn’t do it alone. Senior Kara Connolly finished with 14 assists, and White said she played a huge role in Chamberlin’s success.

“Tonight Kara’s sets made Megan special,” he said. “She was putting the ball where Megan could demolish it, and together the two of them are unstoppable.”

Hall finished with five kills and two aces, while Kelly Dubell added a kill and three aces and Young contributed two kills and two aces.

Kalfusova led the Cyclones with five kills and two aces, while Johnson added three kills and two aces and Carly Schuler finished with three assists, a kill and an ace.

After recording the best season in program history a year ago, CCHS now has nine wins in its new home — the Battlefield District — and the Devilettes are focusing on the postseason.

“I wasn’t really that optimistic coming into the season,” White said. “I thought we had a weaker team than last year. But trust me, we don’t. If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to go deep in the playoffs.”