Area tournament Most Valuable Player Kacie Adams (No. 6) and Unique Robinson try to block an Akron shot during Monday’s match.

By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser

Fresh off a regular season area championship one week ago, Isabella’s varsity volleyball team claimed an area tournament championship Monday with a 3-1 win over Akron.

As the No. 1 seed and host of the tournament, the Mustangs got to play the role of spectator as the Rams knocked off Maplesville in straight sets to set up the championship match.

The two teams played to a 7-all tie before Jayda Jones took over serving duties for the Mustangs (30-2 overall, 6-0 area).

All smiles: Isabella’s Caley Booth celebrates the Mustangs’ area tournament championship match win over Akron on Monday.

With an ace by Jones and two blocks by Synia Chattman, the Mustangs went on a four-point run to make the score 11-7.

The Rams never recovered, and with set point, a Kacie Adams kill gave the Mustangs a 25-19 set win.

The Mustangs jumped out to an early 4-1 lead in the second set, but the Rams (20-13, 2-2) kept pace and eventually tied the set score at 9-all.

An ace by Faith Bryant led to consecutive points for the Rams and a two-point Akron lead, 12-10.

With the Rams leading 17-14, Dequandra Lyles sparked a five-point Akron run to make the score 22-14, and the Rams went on to pick up the second set win, 25-19.

An ace by Caley Booth and kills by Unique Robinson and Sarah Graham aided a five-point run for the Mustangs to start the third set.

Three kills by Robinson behind the serving of Alma Contreras gave Isabella another seven-point run to bring the score to 13-3.

Four consecutive points for the Mustangs behind the serving of Jones brought the score to 17-5 as Isabella cruised to a 25-7 third set win.

With Isabella one set away from a tournament title, the Rams made the Mustangs earn every point early in the fourth set.

As the teams battled back and forth through a 16-all tie, the Mustangs handed off serving duties to Jones once again.

Three kills by Adams, three blocks by Robinson and a kill by Graham, and the Mustangs had blown open the set to take a 24-16 lead.

With a kill by Chattman, the fourth and final set came to a 25-16 close, and the Mustangs were able to celebrate another area tournament championship.

Adams, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, led the Mustangs with 18 assists, eight kills, two blocks, five digs and an ace.

Booth added 20 digs with two aces, while Robinson had 15 kills, six blocks and four digs for Isabella.

The Mustangs will begin play in the Super Regional tournament at 4:15 p.m. Friday at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery.

Bears also win area, advance to next round

Billingsley also advanced to the Super Regional round of the playoffs by winning the Class 1A, Area 5 tournament.

The Bears, playing at home as the tournament’s top seed, defeated Autaugaville, 3-1.

Thorsby fell in the semifinals of the Class 2A, Area 7 tournament at Horseshoe Bend, 3-1 to Fayetteville, and so will not advance.

Jemison was scheduled to play Calera at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the Class 5A, Area 7 tournament at Helena, with the winner advancing to the finals against the Central Tuscaloosa-Helena winner and earning a spot in a Super Regional tournament.

Chilton County High School was scheduled to play Paul Bryant at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Class 6A, Area 6 tournament at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa.

The winner would automatically advance to the Super Regionals, and play the Selma-Hillcrest winner in the area tournament championship match.