We Speak Volleyball

Middleburg Stuns Top Seed Ponte Vedra 3-1 to Reach Regional Final

Published

1 hour ago

November 2, 2026

The Middleburg volleyball team celebrating on the court at Ponte Vedra.

Photo courtesy of One Clay Sports.

Middleburg went on the road Saturday and came home with the biggest win of its season. The Broncos defeated top seed Ponte Vedra 3-1 in the FHSAA Region 1-5A semifinal on October 24 at Ponte Vedra, by set scores of 24-26, 25-18, 25-16 and 25-20.

The night nearly slipped away early. Ponte Vedra erased a 16-9 deficit to steal the first set, with Vivienne Woodbury winning a rally that stretched nearly a minute and Khloe Murray notching the deciding point. For senior Maysie Bader, playing what could have been the last match of her high school career, that loss set the tone for the response. Middleburg decided it needed more energy than the Sharks, and it showed right away in the next two sets.

The Broncos jumped out to leads of 11-3 and 12-2 in the second and third sets and never let Ponte Vedra settle back in. Bader led the way with 18 kills, the best match of her season in the view of head coach Meredith Forkum, working in a dynamic combination with fellow senior Allie Anschuetz at setter. Libero Reese Forkum excelled on the defensive end, and 6-4 middle Abbie Grybb stood tall at the net, adding 7 kills and 3 blocks while disrupting the Sharks down the middle. Woodbury paced Ponte Vedra with 17 kills in the loss.

The win sent Middleburg, which finished the night at 18 wins and 11 losses, on to the Region 1-5A final at Niceville on October 28. Ponte Vedra, the top seed, closed its season at 18 wins and 5 losses. Three years after winning Northeast Florida’s most recent indoor volleyball state title in 2023, the Broncos kept their season alive with one more road test ahead.

We Speak Volleyball

Columbus Stuns Top Seeded North Hall in Five Sets to Reach State Final

Published

7 minutes ago

November 2, 2026

We Speak Media

Columbus volleyball players celebrate on the court during the state semifinal.

Photo courtesy of Columbus High Athletics.

Columbus was not supposed to be here. The fifth seeded Blue Devils beat top seeded North Hall 3-2 on Tuesday in the GHSA Class AAAA state semifinals at LakePoint Sports Champions Center in Cartersville, and the win sent Columbus to the state championship match. It was the second straight five set win for the Blue Devils.

North Hall looked every bit the favorite early. The Trojans opened the first set on a 10-0 run behind the serving of Brinley Simmons and won it 25-18. Columbus answered in the second set, and senior middle hitters Leah Richardson and Taylor Myers took over at the net. Myers delivered 3 kills and 2 blocks in the final 10 points of the set as Columbus evened the match with a 25-23 win.

North Hall took the third set 25-12 and moved in front again. Columbus responded once more, with Richardson and Myers combining for 6 kills and 3 blocks while closing out a 25-18 win in the fourth set. In the fifth, Columbus finished the upset 15-7.

North Hall entered the match 41-6, riding a 21 match winning streak, and was playing in the Final Four for the second time in program history and the first time since 2017. Columbus, coached by Carson Laye, improved to 34-14 and moved on to face Oconee County in Thursday’s championship match.

The Blue Devils had already beaten Woodland Stockbridge in five sets in the quarterfinals. Against North Hall, they proved that result was no fluke, knocking out the bracket’s top seed one win short of the final.