Martins Ferry Wins 20th Straight, Advances To OVAC Class 4A Finals

Purple Riders Look To Go Back-To-Back After Winning 3A In 2025

MARTINS FERRY - What does a perfect 10 times two equal? 20-0.

That's what the top-seeded Martins Ferry volleyball team accomplished Tuesday night in the OVAC Class 4A semifinal against visiting Cambridge. The Purple Riders won in a sweep, 25-16, 25-19 and 25-13 over the No. 4 Bobcats (9-12) inside Tolbert Gymnasium.

"Twenty and zero sounds great ... it feels better than great," Martins Ferry head coach Jaela Kollar said. "It really is a wonderful feeling.

"I've had faith in these girls before they ever stepped into Martins Ferry High School, and it's just not the seniors," Koller stressed. "I've got all the faith in Addie Simpson and Malena Catalano. That's why they are on the varsity team."

With the victory, Martins Ferry, which is ranked No. 3 in Ohio Division V, punched its ticket to Saturday's championship match against second-seeded St. Clairsville inside the ECO Center at 3 p.m. While trying to remain neutral on the opponent, Koller was sticking to her loyalty.

"It really doesn't matter, but I coach with St. Clairsville's coach (Steve Harris) on our club team and I'm good friends with him. They've got good-hearted kids that have been around for a while. I love the crowd that the two schools bring. Let's go St.C."

Although the OVAC championship is a goal, it is secondary to what lies ahead for the Purple Riders in the postseason, which begins next Tuesday when they welcome Bellaire to the hilltop in East 2 Sectional/District action.

"The job is not finished yet," Koller admitted. "We'll keep checking our goals one at a time until we reach where we want to be."

Martins Ferry ran out to a 10-1 lead in the first set but Cambridge showed it came to play with seven unanswered. The Purple Riders led 21-16 before reeling off the final markers for a 1-0 lead. Junior Nicole Hammerquist pounded the final nail home.

The second set was deadlocked eight times, the last at 18 before Martins Ferry went on a set-ending 7-1 run for a 2-0 advantage. Tied at 18, senior Giana Chirpas asserted her power with five kills down the stretch, including back-to-back set points after an ace by SJ Koller.

In the third set, the Purple Riders, who won the OVAC Class 3A title last fall before moving up a class this season, snapped a 4-all stalemate by scoring 10 of the next 13 points to pull away and never look back.

"We really got tested tonight. Our emotions got tested," Coach Koller said. "We came out flat and when you do that, anyone can run you over. Everybody is coming for you, so we had to change it around, spark the flame and get the win."

Chirpas, who has committed to Ohio University to play NCAA Division I softball, demonstrated her prowess at the net with 16 kills and a pair of blocks. Classmate Maddie Lucas, who will continue her academic and athletic careers at West Liberty State University as a member of the softball program, added 10 kills, 11 digs and a trio of service aces. Hammerquist charted eight kills, while SJ Koller logged 22 digs; Gracie Lucas added nine digs and Olivia Harkness, another rising junior, finished with 32 assists and two aces.

MATCH POINTS

- The sweep was the fifth in a row and 15th this season. It was also the third time Martins Ferry had beaten Cambridge this year.

- St. Clairsville and Martins Ferry have played twice, with the Purple Riders handing the Red Devils two of their three losses by 3-1 and 3-0 scores.