West wins rematch over Portsmouth in four sets
· Yahoo Sports
WEST PORTSMOUTH — Finding ways to grind through is vital in any sport.
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With the loss of two key starting contributors in West seniors Adi Stephens and Hailey Jo Carver, the West volleyball program has had to do just that over the past month.
Monday’s match, like its 2026 season, was one that the Lady Senators had to grind out.
In a rematch against the Portsmouth Trojans’ volleyball program in a dandy five-set match where the Lady Trojans emerged victorious in Portsmouth back on Aug. 24, it was West who got some get-back on its home floor as the Lady Senators took a four-set triumph (25-18, 21-25, 25-21, 25-21) in a Monday evening match that was held in West Portsmouth.
For longtime West head coach Brittany Sessor, the match was about pushing through.
“I’m proud of the girls for finishing,” Sessor said. “We were a little flat (on Monday), but they generated enough energy to finish out that fourth set, and get the win. I’m proud of that.”
Taking advantage of great play on the outside by senior outside hitter Chloe Bryant, the Lady Senators never trailed in the opening set en route to establishing control early on.
Together, Bryant and fellow senior Macey Whisman combined for six kills and two aces in the opening set as West took an 8-1 lead to begin the set and led by as much as 20-10 before grabbing a 25-18 triumph in the opening set of competition.
“Chloe had a great game,” Sessor said. “I’m really proud of her. She’s a really great attacker. When she can connect on those sets, she’s got good angles. She did a really good job putting the ball down.”
However, Portsmouth, who trailed by an 11-7 margin to begin the second frame, rallied behind its senior captain.
Reagan Bowling, who enjoyed a tremendous opening pair of sets en route to posting nine kills, two aces and a block during that span of time, posted three kills to help the Lady Trojans overcome a 6-2 deficit en route to giving Portsmouth a 12-11 lead.
When the Lady Senators countered with a 6-0 run that gave West a 17-12 advantage, Bowling kicked her play into high gear by tallying four kills, a block and her ace at set point to allow Portsmouth to close the second set on a 13-4 run.
The Lady Trojans tied the match at one set apiece behind Bowling, who finished the match with 19 kills and five aces to help provide Portsmouth with much of its offense on the evening.
“I told the girls, ‘We’re not serving it at No. 1. Pay attention to where No. 1 is on the front row,’” Sessor said of Bowling. “She’s just so smart. She reads the block very well. She reads the defense very well. She’s got a good touch on the ball. She’s just a phenomenal player.”
Both teams then engaged in a tight third set that saw both teams lead by more than two points just once, combined, over the first 42 volleys of the third set.
But down 17-16 after a kill by Portsmouth sophomore Makiyah McGinnis, the Lady Trojans committed a serving error as well as three attack errors and were called for reaching over the net for a kill that took a Lady Trojan point away and gave West a point.
Macey Whisman then took over matters from there.
Following a pair of kills by Portsmouth freshman Brielle Berry that cut West’s lead to 21-20, Whisman answered with three straight spikes to put the Lady Senators at set point before West closed the deal two volleys later off of a Portsmouth serving error.
No. 24 then put the Lady Senators in the driver’s seat for good in the fourth set as West, down 3-1 in the frame, got four blocks and three kills from Whisman to grab control and ultimately take a 21-12 lead before ultimately winning by a 25-21 margin in the fourth set as well.
Whisman ultimately finished the match with 14 kills, six blocks and three aces to lead West.
“When we can get behind Macey and connect with her, she helps generate the offense and really opens up the other girls too, because you’ve got to guard her, you’ve got to block her, you’ve got to stay in front of her, so it really helps the pin hitters in Chloe (Bryant), who had a big match (on Monday), Ariane (Jordan), Brayleigh (Pistole), and Lainey (Cook),” Sessor said. “It helps those girls get open as well. You lose sight of them and you can’t do that. They’re too good.”
McGinnis had 12 kills and a block while Berry had 11 kills and two blocks for Portsmouth.
“We did a much better job paying attention to where their primary contacts were in the front row, and just staying in front of (Berry) and playing good defense on the inside.”
With the victory, West improved to 9-8 on the year while Portsmouth dropped to 8-9 in 2026.
The Lady Trojans looked to rebound at Rock Hill on Tuesday evening while the Lady Senators, who have won two of their last three matches, hosted South Webster Tuesday evening at West as Sessor’s group looks to continue finding ways to adapt and push through without two of its key cogs in Carver and Stephens.
“Adi’s a phenomenal athlete, a really great player,” Sessor said. “She’s been a huge help for us offensively. We’ve also lost Hailey Carver, who was a defensive specialist and was our libero in 2025. She’s an all-out player as well. Basically, we’ve got to have other people step up and do the job, do what they’re supposed to do and overcome these adverse moments. They’re trying to do that.”