Myleigh Smell led Bridgeport volleyball team sweeps B-U, University in straight sets to collect Class AAA Region I, Section 2 title

Yet behind a pair of massive performances from do-it all junior Myleigh Smell, coach Ali Burton’s battle-tested No. 1-seeded Bridgeport Indians volleyball team did just that, sweeping both the Buckhannon-Upshur Buccaneers and University Hawks in straight sets to collect the Class AAA Region I, Section 2 title in front of a raucous home crowd on Halloween night.

“We have really focused on communicating,” coach Burton said. “All season long we have talked about trusting each other and the process, playing as a team and having a short-term memory.”

“And tonight they went out and executed that to perfection,” coach Burton added.

Smell was a fright for both the visiting Buccaneers and Hawks, finishing with 18 total kills and a block in the Indians three-set victory against B-U in the semifinals before following that up with 11 total kills, seven aces and a block as she helped will Bridgeport past University in a high-intensity three-set sectional title match.

“Myleigh entered the season as one of the state’s top players and has taken it to an even higher-level this year,” Burton continued. “She has really stepped to lead this team.”

“I feel like we all really naturally work together as a team,” Smell began.

“We are like a family and we entered the day with one goal to be sectional champions,” Smell said. “Accomplishing this will bring us even closer together.”

With the set tied at 6-all, Bridgeport’s Ashley Price made a diving dig to save a long volley that the Indians went on to win to take a slight 7-6 lead, changing the momentum of the entire match.

The Indians proceeded to rattle off the game’s next seven straight points with Addison Veigel coming up with a pair of aces and Smell reeling off three kills as Bridgeport’s run extended the lead to 14-6.

The resilient Buccaneers rallied to cut the deficit to as little as three at 19-16, yet B-U couldn’t come up with the run they needed, trading volleys with the Indians before Smell delivered an emphatic spike for her sixth kill, giving Bridgport the first set win, 25-18.

After settling in and shaking off the nerves in the first set, Bridgeport proceeded to dominate both the second and third sets.

The Indians opened the second set scoring hot, exploding for an 11-1 run, highlighted by a trio of kills from Tenley Haller and Smell, respectively, with Salam Rajjoub also chiming in with a pair of spikes of her own.

B-U never quite recovered from Bridgeport’s massive opening run with the Indians coasting to the second set win, 25-8.

The third set began eerily similar to the second with Bridgeport storming out to a massive 12-1 lead with Ella Sorine leading the surge with four aces.

In the face of a large deficit, B-U continued showed no quit, managing to cut the deficit to 23-10.

But it proved to be too little, too late as Smell delivered a pair of kills for the final two points, sealing the sweep and lifting Bridgeport into the sectional title game against the winner of the other semifinal between the No. 2-seeded University Hawks and the No. 3-seeded Preston County Knights.

The Hawks would end up winning that game, setting up a sectional title game matchup with a University team that the Indians had split games against.

Bridgeport lost its earlier matchup with University back on Sept. 29 (2-1) before improving throughout the course of the season, evidenced by the Indians earning a sweep just days earlier back on Oct. 26.

The first set began with the two teams trading volleys until back-to-back blocks from University’s Addison Kitzmiller and Ella Liston gave the Hawks an early 8-6 advantage.

Bridgeport immediately gave a championship-level response with Smell up to serve, the Indians proceeded to answer by rattling off eight straight points to take a 14-8 lead with the junior star contributing an ace and a kill to spark her team’s run.

Yet University stormed back to take a slight 15-14 lead behind three aces from Allison Kinsley.

Neither team could find breathing room to pull away down the stretch of the first set, setting up a tense 22-all tie.

That all changed after a Caroline Deniker kill gave the Indians the advantage and the serve, Smell again delivered heroics, close the first set out with a pair of aces, giving Bridgeport the 25-22 win.

The second set saw University battle to an early 3-2 lead before Bridgport seized control of the game, incrementally building a 17-10 lead with Rajjob leading the charge with a trio of kills.

Smell made the play of the set, somehow stretching to make a desperate diving dig on a ball that hit the rafters and fell back on the Indians’ side over the net for a Bridgport point, pushing the lead to point, 18-10.

The Indians had trouble putting University away with the Hawks cutting the lead to as little as 23-17 on a kill from Natalie Voithofer.

Eventually, Bridgport was able to pull away with Deniker delivering a pair of dagger kills to give the Indians the second set win, 25-17.

Facing elimination, the Hawks refused to go away quietly, making the Indians earn the third-set win.

That was fine with Smell, who saved her best for last, who came up big when it mattered the most, leading her team to the 25-18 win with four aces and as many kills in the sectional title clinching set.

University again stormed out to an early 5-3 lead before faltering, allowing Bridgeport to seize control of the set slowly but surely behind the play of Smell, who refused to be denied, leading the Indians to the sectional title.

With the win, the Indians punch their ticket to the regional playoffs this coming Saturday.

When asked how far she thinks this team can go, Smell was quick and direct with her response.

“I think I can help take us to the state championship,” Smell began. “That is our biggest goal right now. We are going to take it one game at a time, the next step is on Saturday and we will move on from there and see how it goes.”