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ST. CLAIRSVILLE - There certainly was no OVAC Championship hangover for the St. Clairsville volleyball team on Wednesday night.
The third-seeded Red Devils (19-3) were fresh off a Class 4A victory over rival Martins Ferry on Saturday, but they made quick work of No. 14 Harrison Central in straight sets, 25-10, 25-10 and 25-12, on John Jenkins Court in an Ohio Division IV, East 1 sectional final.
"We played really well tonight," St. Clairsville head coach Steve Harris said. "We were efficient and we swung well. That's what I wanted ... the energy. I wanted them to bring it again. It was a good weekend for us, but it's over. It's time to focus on our other goals."
The two teams alternated points to start the match before St. Clairsville snapped the fifth stalemate with a 9-0 run and never looked back in taking the first set in 16 minutes. Two kills by Corrin Pritts and a kill and tip from Madison Wehr sparked the surge that built a 14-5 advantage. Two kills from Vivian Harris down the stretch sealed the deal.
The Red Devils built leads of 5-1 and 11-5 before going on a 9-1 run in which the margin ballooned to 20-6. Pritts, Wehr, Harris and Lola Schumacher controlled the net, while Ava Saunders supplied the sets and Abigail McCulley the digs. An ace by Saunders put the hosts ahead 2-0.
"We told the girls to just come out and play hard, do their best," Harrison Central head coach Grace Bengier said. "I thought my girls played very hard tonight."
The Huskies (8-15) battled to a 6-all deadlock to start the third set, but the Red Devils athletic group took control midway through en route to their second sweep of Harrison Central this season. It was their 14th of the season.
"This group is pretty grounded," Coach Harris added. "We do practice really well, so we've had some good practices leading up to tonight. I just wanted them to keep the focus for all three sets, and they did that."
With the win, their third straight and 14th in their last 16 outings, advanced the Red Devils to the district semifinals back on John Jenkins Court on Monday against No. 7 John Glenn, which eliminated No. 5 West Muskingum in three sets. That match begins at 6 p.m.
"It's do-or-die right now," Coach Harris said. "You've got to continue winning to keep playing. One of our goals was to get back to the district semifinals, which we have, because we lost in five sets here last year to East Liverpool.
"It means a lot to play at home. We need a big crowd to show up for us."