Blessed Trinity volleyball will play for a spot in the GHSA 5A state championship game Wednesday, Oct. 28 after sweeping its way through three rounds of the state playoffs without dropping a set.
The Titans (43-8) face Cartersville (37-5) at 4 p.m. at the LakePoint Sports Champions Center, according to the GHSA state championship bracket. The winner advances to the 5A title match Saturday, Oct. 31 at 4 p.m. at the same venue.
Blessed Trinity has been dominant in the postseason. The Titans beat Dutchtown 3-0 in the first round Oct. 15, swept Statesboro 3-0 in the second round Oct. 21 and dispatched Ola 3-0 in the quarterfinals Saturday, Oct. 24, according to MaxPreps.
Cartersville has been equally clinical. The Purple Hurricanes swept Cedartown 3-0 in the first round, beat Druid Hills 3-0 in the second round and topped Jefferson 3-0 in Saturday's quarterfinal.
Neither team has lost a set this postseason.
Blessed Trinity averaged 14.7 kills per set and posted a .420 hitting percentage in its second-round win over Statesboro, per MaxPreps. Cartersville averaged 11.0 kills per set with a .338 hitting percentage in its quarterfinal win over Jefferson.
Head coach Eric Hodges leads a roster anchored by several standout players. Junior libero Abby Woodward eclipsed 1,000 career digs during the Serve for a Cure tournament in September and ranked among the top 75 nationally in digs this season, Appen Media reported at the time. Senior middle blocker Destinee Chukelu, a 6-foot-1 Cal-Berkeley commit, posted 11 blocks and 20 kills in that tournament.
In that September coverage, Chukelu said recent regular-season losses to Cartersville and Marist were fueling the four seniors heading into the playoffs. "It's time to leave my mark," she told Appen Media.
Chukelu, along with fellow seniors Raquel Mina, Allie DeWeese and Chloe Anido, will get their chance Wednesday against the same Cartersville squad that beat them during the regular season.
Tickets for the semifinal are available only through GoFan. No tickets will be sold at the gate. All matches will stream live on the NFHS Network.
