Photo by Nick Henthorn Martins Ferry’s Giana Chirpas winds up for a kill attempt Tuesday during the Purple Riders’ Division V East District semifinal game against Tuscarawas Valley.

MARTINS FERRY — No. 2 Martins Ferry Purple Riders started strong Tuesday in their Division V East District semifinals game against No. 4 Tuscarawas Valley, but it was the Trojans who took control of the match in advancing over Martins Ferry in four sets, 22-25, 26-24, 25-19, 26-24.

The first set belonged to the Purple Riders behind a strong effort out the gate by junior Giana Chirpas who collected four kills in the set.

“Game one, I told the girls, where was that team all season?” Martins Ferry head coach Jaela Koller said. “Where was this team all season? We came out on fire, working together, talking, moving, grooving. I was super proud of them.”

Chirpas led the team with 15 kills, and also had four blocks.

Sophomore Nicole Hammerquist followed with 11 kills and a team-high five blocks. Junior Maddie Lucas had 10 kills and 10 digs, while junior libero Savanah Koller had 35 digs.

The second set went beyond the 25-point threshold– each of Tuesday’s sets were tightly-contested, with the second set and fourth set going into extra volleys.

Tuscarawas Valley built a 24-22 lead in the second set. A kill and service ace back-to-back from Giana Chirpas tied things at 24-24, but Tusky Valley took the next two points to knot the two teams at one set apiece.

Martins Ferry took early leads in both the third and fourth sets, but saw Tusky Valley charge back.

After dropping the third set, Martins Ferry held onto a slim lead late in the fourth set. Nicole Hammerquist’s kill pushed the Purple advantage to 21-19 in the fourth set, prompting a Tusky timeout, and out of the break, the Trojans were refocused.

A service ace from Tusky’s Camrynn Fragasse gave the Trojans a 24-23 lead. A misplay by the Trojans tied the set 24-24, but a four hits violation against Ferry and a kill from Tusky’s Brianna Barr sealed the match for Tuscarawas Valley, who will play for the District Championship against No. 1 Union Local on Thursday.

“I was super proud of the fact that when we were getting down by three, four points, we’d fight right back,” Koller said of her team. “So we didn’t get caught in the– all year, I talked about the quicksand, we didn’t get caught in it this year– but we did get caught in a little bit of mental toughness errors, stuff like that. So I think that’s what played a big factor in tonight’s, tonight’s four games.”

Martins Ferry graduates seniors Kendyl Brandon, Lexi Carte, Alanna Williams and Charlee Roe.