Photo by Nick Henthorn Martins Ferry’s Giana Chirpas blasts a ball over the net during the Purple Riders’ OVAC 3A Conference Tournament Semifinal game against the No. 2-ranked Union Local Jets.

MORRISTOWN — Adding to a nine-game Tuesday slate to open up the 2023 OVAC Tournament, No. 3 Martins Ferry came out swinging against their hosts, the No. 2 Union Local Jets, taking a 8-4 lead to start the first set.

The Jets had fuel to burn though, wading through rough early-goings to win the set 25-19, and never letting the Purple Riders get that close again, sweeping Ferry 25-19, 25-11, 25-16 to advance in the 3A conference tourney.

“They played well,” Union Local head coach Kaye Sechrest said. “We started slow, they came out on fire, and we got behind. Sometimes I think we like to play from behind. They came out strong, we survived and kind of doused it, and we controlled it from that point on.”

The Jets and Purple Riders traded high-impact plays at the match’s onset, high-velocity kills and emphatic blocks on both sides signaling the heightened atmosphere of a tournament game as Ferry came out on top of the early exchanges.

Union Local seized momentum of their own to take a lead which grew 14-11, but the pendulum swung again for Ferry, who rattled off four straight points to flip the set to their advantage, 15-14.

Union Local called timeout, and coming out of the huddle, the Jets outscored the Riders 7-1 over the next eight volleys, cruising to a 25-19 set win.

“I think we started out fantastic,” Martins Ferry head coach Jaela Koller said. “But we have some work to do. Once we get ahead, we have to learn how to finish.”

The hosts led wire-to-wire in the second set, scoring the last eight points of the set to win 25-11.

Martins Ferry clung to a slim advantage through the early stages of the third set with the match on the line, leading 5-4. A quick three-point swing boosted the Jets to a 7-5 advantage, and the momentum stayed with Union Local, who built a 15-9 advantage.

Teegan Day smashed a kill from the outside to seal the match point, 25-16.

“It was a team effort,” Sechrest said. “Good serving, that helps. Good blocking, good net play. Julie, my libero in the back row, she gets to a lot of balls. Tonight it was just everybody.”

Sechrest said she was looking forward to the Jets’ next matchup, a 9 a.m. date with the No. 1-ranked Shenandoah Zeps, who likewise swept their semi final opponent Tuesday.

For Union Local, Ella Pietranton had a team-high nine kills along with two blocks, while Laken Vinskovich had eight kills and two blocks.. Alayna Logan piled up 20 assists, Delaney Butler had 15 assists and 10 digs, and Jule Broussard had 16 digs.

For Martins Ferry, SJ Koller had 25 digs, Giana Chirpas had six kills and four blocks, Sydney Koller added seven kills and 13 digs, Lindsey Best had five kills and nine digs, while Maddie Lucas had 13 assists.

In the class 5A tournament, No. 4 John Marshall fell to No. 1 Morgantown 3-0, 25-19, 25-17, 25-19.