Bishop Moore volleyball refuses to be denied in bid for state championship

The Hornets outlast Miami Mater Lakes in a classic 5-set FHSAA Class 4A title match

Bill Kemp | Nov 9, 2024

Orlando Bishop Moore players celebrate after winning the Class 4A girls volleyball state championship game on Saturday at Polk State College in Winter Haven. / Bill Kemp

WINTER HAVEN – Orlando Bishop Moore found themselves in a volleyball war, but it wouldn’t be denied a state title this year.

Bishop Moore captured the Class 4A girls volleyball state championship on Saturday, holding off Miami Mater Lakes, 3-2, in a classic title match at the FHSAA Finals at Polk State College.

“What an amazing championship match,” Bishop Moore head coach Tanya Jarvis Starrett said. “Talk about some fighters. It could have gone either way. But I was really proud of the maturity and focus that we showed, just one point at a time.”

Orlando Bishop Moore junior Olivia Heekin sets up a shot against Miami Mater Lakes Academy during the Class 4A girls volleyball state championship game on Saturday at Polk State College in Winter Haven. / Bill Kemp

Bishop Moore, which was the 3A state runner-up this past year, won 25-16, 23-25, 31-29, 20-25 and 15-13. It was led by senior outside hitter Leah McDonald with 32 kills and 23 digs.

“I just could not be more proud of how much this group loves and trusts in each other and does whatever it takes to win,” Starrett said. “We’ve had a tough season and we've had a lot of five-set matches where we have lost.”

Mater Lakes freshman Alexa Torres led the Bears with 32 kills and 23 digs while senior Sydney Wilson racked up 26 kills and 35 digs through the five grueling sets.

“The first set was tough because we weren’t ready for it. After that we started playing and it was a real competitive game." Mater Lakes head coach Emilio Urgell said. “It was really like who wanted it more. We won a couple of close sets and they won a couple of close sets, but in the end it was a close game, 15-13, is as close as it gets.

Miami Mater Lakes junior Antonella Maldonado sets up a shot against Orlando Bishop Moore during the Class 4A girls volleyball state championship game on Saturday at Polk State College in Winter Haven. / Bill Kemp

Published Nov 9, 2024

BILL KEMP

Bill Kemp is an award-winning sports journalist at the state and national levels. Over the course of 25 years, he’s covered more than 4,000 sporting events including the NFL regular season, playoffs and Super Bowls, Major League Baseball regular season and spring training, NASCAR racing at Daytona and Talladega International Speedways and major college football regular seasons and bowl games. He was named by the Associated Press Sports Editors as a Top 10 sports columnist and Top 3 by the Alabama Press Association for best sports column and sports page design. He has served as preps editor at the Lakeland Ledger as well as sports editor at five different newspapers in Florida and Alabama. He has been published in dozens of newspapers including USA Today, the Miami Herald, the Orlando Sentinel, the Jacksonville Times Union and the Tampa Bay Times. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of South Florida. He has been writing for SBLive Sports since 2022.