Aledo falls to Lovejoy in state volleyball finals

By Kevin Casas

Special to the Star-Telegram

GARLAND -- Aledo's final state title exam had no right answer.

Lucas Lovejoy's Ebony Nwanebu proved an enigma, earning title game MVP honors with 26 kills as the Leopards earned a fifth straight state title, 25-16, 25-18, 25-21 at Curtis Culwell Center.

It is the first state title for Lovejoy (48-4) in Class 4A after four in Class 3A. Aledo, which showed up with a dominating performance in a semifinal win over Friendswood, didn't have the same success against a ferocious power hitting game.

"We worked a lot on our outside blocking," Aledo coach Kathy Goings said. "But Ebony's got a vertical leap. I mean, it's hard to stop, she's got a vertical and what can you do? Can't grow kids taller overnight."

Nwanebu, a Southern California signee, was unstoppable. She had 26 kills in just three sets, whereas Thursday she had 25 in a five-set semifinal win over Cedar Park.

Where she struggled to get into rhythm Thursday, she more than made up for on Saturday, collecting two blocks and serving three aces.

Aledo (41-6) struggled from the beginning.

The Bearcats fell behind by as much as six points early in the first set and finally lost by nine.

Set two was more of the same from Nwanebu and Aledo couldn't match the pace.

Briana Sharratt had 12 kills and a .500 attacking percentage for the game. Although she made the most of opportunities, the dominance showed how much Aledo struggled to get its ace killer the ball.

"We struggled in the serve-receive phase, which is something that we haven't done much this year," Goings said.

"When you struggle like that, it's hard to get things going."

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