Cambridge wins second straight SCISA Class A volleyball state title
Cougars dominating in 3-0 victory over Curtis Baptist
Columbia – After finishing as state runner-up in both 2022 and 2023, the Cambridge Academy volleyball team finally broke through in ’24, winning the SCISA Class A state championship. The thrill of the chase is how satisfaction was derived.
The derivative for the ’25 team came from being chased.
“We knew it would be a little tougher this year,” said Cougars head coach Chelsie Calvert. “Once you win once, you’ve got to do it again.”
And that’is exactly what Cambridge did, in dominating fashion one might add. The Cougars swept Curtis Baptist 3-0 on Monday in the best-of-5 championship match played at the Ben Lippen School gymnasium.
“It was slightly different for me this year,” said Addison Leopard, one of four seniors who helped Cambridge defend its title. “Winning state again was the whole reason for the season. The job was to finish the year as champion.
“Last year we had nothing to lose. When you come back as defending state champion, people expect things from you. Other teams are out to get you, you have something to defend, there’s a little more pressure. I like it like that though, it makes it more fun.”
The Cougars didn’t seem fazed in the least by that burden. Just as in ’24, they rolled through Region 3 play, three matches in the state tournament and the state title match undefeated. Even more impressive, they didn’t drop a set either year, going 39-0 each time.
Cambridge, which finished the year with a 19-5-1 record, gained control in the first set and never lost it. Khloe Cheeks, another member of the senior quartet, reeled off eight straight points off of her serve on the way to the 20-point Set 1 triumph.
“I think it was our energy that made the difference,” Cheeks said. “We just jumped out front at the beginning and took the momentum. We knew if we stayed hot, it would be a quick match.”
The Crusaders, who finished the year with a 21-9 record and were playing in the program’s first ever state title match, put up a little more resistance in the second set. In the third set though, Cambridge regained control as Cheeks was on serve for 13 straight points.
“I was very impressed with how we performed,” said Calvert, who is a 2-time state champion in her two years as head coach. “We focused on our side of the court preparing for the match. I told the girls we’ve got to play our best and go out and show who Cambridge is. We wanted to shut everyone down and the girls sure rose to that occasion.”
Leopard and Cheeks, who shared Region 3 Player of the Year honors, led the way. Cheeks, who went over 2,000 assists and 1,000 digs during the regular season, led the team with 31 assists and 10 service aces to go with six kills and seven digs. Leopard, who went over 1,000 assists in the state tournament, led in kills with 10 to go with nine assists, four digs and one ace.
The other seniors, Israel Southerland and Aubrey Louden, had strong performances. Southerland had a team high nine digs to go with seven kills and one ace. Louden had nine kills, six digs and an ace.
Junior Ainsley Vickers and sophomore Mia Storer were All-Region picks as well as selections to the North-South All-Star matches along with the seniors. Vickers had seven kills, one blocked shot, three digs and two aces. Storer had five kills.
Eighth-grader Izzy Emily played all three sets and finished with seven digs, two assists and one ace. Junior Y’zabel Cowan and sophomore Marely Alvarez each played a set, Cowan picking up three aces and Alvarez one dig.
Calvert said the Cougars’ success was a team effort.
“All nine players worked so hard,” she said. “I watched their dedication, how they worked on a daily basis, how they were able to grow as athletes both on and off the court.”
Leopard, who was out a few weeks with a broken hand, said she and her teammates enjoyed arriving at the final destination.
“With all the work we put in all season, we wanted to get in there, play our hardest, have fun with it,” she said. “We didn’t want it be high stress and having the fast start helped us take off the edge. We just had a good time. We were wanting to win, we’re here, we made it, so let’s have fun with it.”
“Me personally, I think this one was a lot o more special, this being my senior year and stuff,” Cheeks said. “The relationships we’ve built on this team, we’re like family, we’ll do anything for each other, we have each other’s backs. It’s really special.”
