‘I couldn’t be prouder of these girls.’ Unbeaten Cardinal Gibbons wins 11th state title
There will be yet another state championship volleyball trophy on display at Cardinal Gibbons High,.
The Crusaders capped an unbeaten (17-0) season Saturday by trouncing Providence 3-0 in the 4A state championship match at Green Level High.
It was the 11th state volleyball championship in school history but the first for the school since 2015. Green Hope had won the last four 4A titles. Only Hendersonville with 12 state titles has more than Gibbons.
The Raleigh area has accounted for six of the last seven 4A state volleyball titles.
“The last couple years were frustrating,” Cardinal Gibbons coach Logan Barber said of the Crusaders’ close calls in the playoffs. “We lost to some good teams those years. I’m really proud of the girls for getting us over the hump this time.”
Providence (18-1) entered the match off a 3-2 victory over 4-time state champ Green Hope in Tuesday’s semifinals, but the Panthers had no answer for Cardinal Gibbons outside hitter Emily Chrysogelos.
A 5-11 senior who has committed to the University of Delaware, Chrysogelos had 22 kills -- more than Providence’s team total of 20. She was named the match’s Most Valuable Player.
“We tried to do things to deal with their big player,” Providence coach Maggie Malone said of Chrysogelos. “But they had the answer.”
Malone wasn’t even at the match. She awakened Saturday not feeling well, and decided to remain in her hotel room.
What she saw on TV was not fun.
Cardinal Gibbons trailed 3-2 in the first set but rallied for five straight points and was in front for nearly the rest of the match. Chrysogelos had nine kills in the first set, which the Crusaders won 25-17.
The Crusaders broke to a quick 7-2 lead in the second set, and after Providence narrowed the gap to 10-6, Cardinal Gibbons went on a 10-7 run, thanks to three Chrysogelos kills. She finished the 25-14 victory with a kill.
Providence played tough for a while in the third set and was tied 6-6. But two Providence errors, a Chrysogelos kill, and a soft tap for a point by Vivan Chapman made it 10-6. The Crusaders gradually pulled away and won 25-13. The final point was a Chrysogelos kill.
“I couldn’t be prouder of these girls,” Barber said. “This season has been so much different than any other. Everyone on this team had to work a little harder to make this happen.”
Chrysogelos said most members of the team have played competitive volleyball together for several years.
“We’ve all been playing together for a while,” she said. “We know each other well. I think that helped us overcome any obstacles.”
Junior middle blocker Alex Hatchett, who had five service aces (including three in the final set), said, “There’s a lot of trust on this team. Everyone works well together. The chemistry is very good.”
The state title is actually only the second for Cardinal Gibbons in 4A. The Crusaders took the big-school crown in 2015 but were 3A champions from 2010-14. Barber was head coach for the final five years of that six-year run.
The Crusaders also won three state titles in the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association.
Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle
This story was originally published January 23, 2021 at 4:57 PM.
