St. Marys’ Callie Powell, left, passes the ball during Monday’s WVSSAC Class A State Volleyball Tournament at West Virginia State University. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

INSTITUTE, W,Va. — Fourth-year St. Marys head coach Stephanie Corathers’ Blue Devils were eyeing an upset here Monday at W.Va. State in the Class A state volleyball tournament quarterfinals, but in the end top-seeded East Hardy pulled out a 17-25, 25-21, 27-25 and 25-10 victory.

The Blue Devils, who ended the campaign at 17-14 after advancing to the state tournament for the first time in school history, were led by Callie Powell’s double-double of 16 kills and 14 digs.

However, Marsha Hahn’s Cougars relied on the firepower of Morganne Miller, who also double-doubled with a match-high 29 kills and a baker’s dozen digs.

After falling behind 3-0, in the first set the Blue Devils finally took their first lead in the state tournament. A downed spike by Powell cut it to 4-3 and then Rylee Renner served up three straight aces for a 6-4 cushion.

The Pleasants County squad broke a nine-all tie and pushed in front at 12-9 thanks in part to a kill and an ace from Laura Hacker. Consecutive kills from Brynnley Bulluck helped the Blue Devils push ahead 17-13 and it was 20-14 following two more kills by Powell.

St. Marys’ Brynnley Bulluck goes for the spike during the Blue Devils’ Class A state quarterfinal matchup with East Hardy Monday at West Virginia State University. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Another kill from Hacker got things to set point, which Powell earned after her serve was initially played and then dropped to the floor.

Coach Corathers called timeout down 8-4 in set two and again at 16-12 and only trailed by a pair at 22-20 thanks to an Autumn Mossor ace, but East Hardy finished things off to make it a best-of-three affair.

St. Marys jumped out to a 7-2 cushion in the critical third set with the help of two kills by Bulluck as well as a pair of aces from libero Alyssa Winland. However, it was soon tied at nine apiece after Xavia Barber had back-to-back aces.

Although a Hacker kill via a Sidney Kisner assist put the Blue Devils back ahead 12-9, the Cougars regained the lead at 15-14 on a second-hit kill by Brooklyn Tinnell. In fact, after falling behind 12-9, the Cougars went on a 10-2 spurt and appeared to be in good shape up 19-14.

That didn’t prove to be the case as the Blue Devils turned to Powell, who went on a kill barrage. An ace by Renner closed the gap to 22-20, but Powell had three straight kills to give SMHS the lead.

St. Marys' Callie Powell celebrates the Blue Devils winning the opening set against East Hardy during Monday's Class A state quarterfinals at West Virginia State University. (Photo by Jay W. Bennet)

East Hardy moved ahead 24-23 and had set point, but served into the net. St. Marys also had a chance at set point after going up 25-24, but the Cougars scored the final three points. Another ace by Barber made it 26-25 and the Blue Devils were unable to return the next serve.

Although Buckley had a kill to tie set four at one and had another downed spike that made it 4-2, the Blue Devils weren’t able to get back into any groove.

“We faced a lot of mountains and potholes in the whole thing and then to go into regionals and knock Trinity off, to get the opportunity to come here was another milestone,” admitted coach Corathers. “Getting to come here with this group, I had them like two years prior to their freshman year in travel. We’ve had a road ahead of us together and this means a lot.

“Just to get to come here it still seems surreal. We are a fourth quarter team, always have been. To come in the first half of the season and not do our best and then come in the last part of the season and just kill it. The games our last two weeks for Trinity and Magnolia we were killing it. The same thing happened today. I felt pretty good coming out of the locker room. We were hyped the last two days.”

Renner finished with four aces and 22 assists while Madison Sturgeon had two aces, two kills and 22 digs. Winland had three aces and a team-high 24 digs, while Bulluck finished with seven kills and Mossor two aces and 17 digs.

“Second set we brought it and then we let go and it was point for point,” added coach Corathers. “The third set could’ve went either way and we battled. I’m proud of them. I mean they went point for point.

“Then the fourth set, it’s mental. The mental game kicked in. You try to keep them positive. They just started shutting down. They’re upset. I’m upset. It’s been a crazy ride, but it’s been a great ride. I’m proud to even be down here representing our school.”