STATE VOLLEYBALL TOURNEY: Catholic avenges regional loss agaisnt UMS to reach finals
Catholic outside hitter Lucy Logsdon drills a shot over the net as UMS-Wright defenders in the Class 5A semis at the Birmingham Crossplex. (Courtesy AHSAA/David Holtsford)
COMBINED REPORTS
BIRMINGHAM - Catholic avenged its season-ending loss to UMS-Wright in 2024 with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over the Bulldogs to advance to the Class 5A state volleyball championship at Bill Harris Arena on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
The title match will be the fourth for the Knights in the last five years. Catholic lost to Trinity in 2021, defeated the Wildcats in 2022 and beat UMS-Wright in 2023 before losing to the Bulldogs in the 2024 semifinals.
Catholic (32-12) will play Guntersville for the 5A state title. Win or lose, the Knights will be elevated to Class 6A by Competitive Balance Factor in 2026-27.
In Tuesday’s semifinal matchup, Joi McGuire led the Knights with 25 kills and 17 digs. Kierstyn Green added 17 kills and 18 digs, Lucy Logsdon had 10 kills, 17 digs and 26 assists, Zaria Rudolph had 30 assists, 18 digs, three steals, three blocks and six kills and Ava Bierly had 12 digs.
Defending 5A state champion UMS-Wright ends the season at 38-14.
Catholic advanced to the semifinals with a 3-1 win over Brewer in the quarterfinals, winning 25-8, 25-18, 19-25 and 25-16. Logsdon had 17 kills, 18 digs and 12 assists, McGuire had 10 kills, 27 digs and four aces, Rudolph had 10 kills, 25 assists and 14 digs and Green had 13 kills and 19 digs.
Brewer ends the season at 41-20.
AHSAA ELITE EIGHT STATE
VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
CLASS 5A
QUARTERFINALS
Catholic (31-12) 3, Brewer (41-20) 1 (25-8, 25-18, 19-25, 25-16)
UMS-Wright (38-14) 3, Boaz (41-19) 1 (25-18, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23)
Briarwood Christian (38-7) 3, Arab (31-28) 0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-13)
Guntersville (62-5) 3 Faith Academy (34-13) 0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-18)
SEMIFINALS
Catholic (32-12) 3, UMS-Wright (38-15) 1 (25-23, 25-11, 17-25, 25-21)
Guntersville (63-5) 3, Briarwood Christian (38-8) 0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-13)
CLASS 5A CHAMPIONSHIP (Bill Harris Arena)
Catholic (32-12) vs. Guntersville (63-5), Wednesday, 2:30 p.m.