‘It was a great experience’: Lexington volleyball falls short in championship match

Lexington had high hopes of ending the Midlands volleyball championship drought.

Jurnee Robinson and Mauldin had other ideas. Robinson, the LSU commit, was dominant and helped the Mavericks to a 3-0 win over the Wildcats in the Class 5A championship on Saturday at Dreher High School.

It was Maudlin’s first championship in school history.

“She definitely is the hardest hitting girl we have faced all year,” Lexington coach Eric Schick said of Robinson. “That is why she is going to LSU. She is once in a 10-year outside hitter.”

Lexington finished the season 28-13 after its third championship appearance, and first since 2019.

The Wildcats were trying to become the first Midlands public school to win a volleyball championship since Brookland-Cayce in 2003.

Lexington had a tough journey to get to the championship. The Wildcats, who finished second to River Bluff in Region 4-5A, had to win three of their four playoff matches on the road, including defeating powerhouse Wando on Tuesday to win the Lower State championship.

Schick reminded his players, many of whom were in tears after the match, of the journey to make it to the championship.

“I told them I was super proud of them and they fought all the way to the end and that is all I could ever expect of them,” Schick said. “... We hadn’t beat Wando at their place in about 25 years. So that was a great experience for the girls. Not a lot of people expected us to be here but we kind of peaked at the end. We were playing the best volleyball we could at the right time.”

Lexington was competitive in the first two sets with the Mavericks, who had an answer each time the Wildcats got close. The Wildcats trailed 21-16 in the first first set and got to within 21-19, but couldn’t get any closer as Robinson’s kill ended the first set.

In the second set. Lexington led 11-10 before the Mavs scored four of the next five points to lead 15-12. The Wildcats got within one point only one time the rest of the set, which was capped off by an Anna Schneider kill.

Mauldin dominated the third set, trailing once at 1-0. Robinson capped off the match with a kill and the celebration began.

Robinson finished with 25 kills and 16 assists.

“It is amazing. I feel like people have always doubted Mauldin volleyball,” Robinson said. “And for us to win it all when we didn’t start it off too strong, it feels great.”

Mauldin (32-7) endured a three-game losing streak during the season, which included losses to River Bluff and powerhouse Dorman. The Mavs got their revenge by defeating both in the playoffs including Dorman in the Upper State championship game.

“I think it is really kind of spectacular,” Mauldin coach Val Thomas on the school’s first title. “How many firsts are there? There is one. But I hope and I want to set the program up for continued success. Hopefully, the culture continues to grow and we can be on the likes of Dorman and Hillcrest with multiple state titles.”

SCHSL Volleyball Championships

At Dreher High School

Thursday

Class 3A

Wren 3, Philip Simmons 0

Saturday

Class 2A

Oceanside Collegiate 3, Liberty 0

Class 4A

Aiken 3, North Myrtle Beach 2

Class A

St. Joseph’s 3, Branchville 0

Class 5A

Mauldin 3, Lexington 0