Lady Canes fall in a marathon state semifinal
October 28, 2026
Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com
Cartersville’s bid for a spot in the GHSA Class 5A state volleyball championship match came down to a fifth set Wednesday night, but Blessed Trinity rallied to end the Lady Canes’ season with a grueling five-set victory at LakePoint Champions Center.
The Titans defeated Cartersville 25-18, 26-28, 29-31, 25-16, 15-12 in the state semifinals, avenging last season's quarterfinal loss to the Lady Canes.
Cartersville defeated Blessed Trinity 2-0 (25-18, 26-24) in the regular season on Sept. 15 and finished the year with a 37-6 record.
Blessed Trinity (44-8) advances to Saturday night’s state championship match at LakePoint in Emerson, where it will face Marist. Marist swept North Oconee in three straight sets in Wednesday night’s other semifinal.
The Lady Canes battled back from an early deficit to claim the second set, then survived a marathon third set to take a 2-1 lead. However, Blessed Trinity responded with a dominant fourth set before pulling away late in the decisive fifth set.
The Titans took control early in the opening set, leading 8-3 after back-to-back service aces by Destiny Chukelu. Blessed Trinity stretched its advantage to 16-7 before a block by Holly Dufrene slowed the momentum.
A Chukelu block made it 18-9, but Cartersville rallied to win the longest point of the night and cut into the deficit. The Lady Canes claimed five of the next six points to pull within 21-18 before Blessed Trinity closed out the set by winning the final four points, including another Chukelu kill, for a 25-18 victory.
Cartersville answered in the second set, which featured the closest margins of the match until the final points. Blakely Morris’ service ace gave the Lady Canes their largest lead of the set at 17-13.
Amara Ejieke delivered four kills in the set, while Adelynn England added three and Dufrene contributed two. Cartersville held off the Titans in the extended finish, winning 28-26 to even the match at one set apiece.
The third set brought even more drama, with neither team able to create significant separation. Cartersville’s largest advantage was four points, coming when Emma Wall served an ace to put the Lady Canes up 13-9.
Blessed Trinity answered with Raquel Mina and Chukelu, who each recorded four kills in the set. Cartersville kept fighting through the back-and-forth finish, with Dufrene’s kill giving the Lady Canes their seventh set point.
Ejieke then delivered the decisive kill to complete a 31-29 victory and put Cartersville one set away from the state championship match.
Blessed Trinity responded emphatically in the fourth set.
Stella English recorded two kills, and Riley Gilmore added two service aces as the Titans raced to a 10-4 lead. Morris and England answered with consecutive kills to pull Cartersville within 10-6, but the Titans gradually extended their advantage.
Gilmore's back-to-back kills pushed Blessed Trinity’s lead to 17-8. The teams traded points the rest of the way before Chukelu recorded her fourth kill of the set to seal a 25-16 win and force a deciding fifth set.
The Titans carried that momentum into the tiebreaker, opening a 4-1 lead behind two Gilmore kills.
Ejieke and England responded for Cartersville, tying the score at 6-6 and keeping the Lady Canes within reach. However, consecutive blocks by Mina and Gilmore gave Blessed Trinity a 12-9 advantage and forced a Cartersville timeout.
A Chukelu block and another Gilmore kill moved the Titans to match point at 14-11. Dufrene answered with a block to keep the Lady Canes alive, but Gilmore finished the match with a kill, completing the 15-12 fifth-set victory.
Note: Individual stats to be added once available.
Comments