PV 3-peat!
- Updated: October 30, 2025
Pleasant Valley rallies after falling in first set, sweeps next three to take third consecutive Class 2A state title.
By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today
Much like the past three years of Pleasant Valley volleyball history, the Raiders rallied from one down to win three straight Thursday.
Ellie Patterson recorded a match-high 15 kills, and Pleasant Valley came from behind to beat Mars Hill Bible 14-25, 25-20, 25-13, 25-19 to clinch its third consecutive Class 2A state title in Birmingham’s Bill Harris Arena.
The Raiders (35-14) did it in their fourth consecutive trip to the 2A title match, the first two coming under long-time head coach Dana Bryant and the last two under successor Jennifer Mann.
The Raiders’ most recent state title marked their eighth overall. They won back-to-back state titles in 2023-2024, 1996-1997 and 1987-1988.
This marks Pleasant Valley’s first time to win it three years in a row.
The Raiders began their run of four consecutive appearances in the finals in 2022, but a flu bug ravaged the team ahead of its loss to Calhoun County rival Donoho. Bryant led the Raiders to their first state title on her 18-year watch in 2023, and she retired, handing the program over to Mann, a long-time assistant.
They’ve won despite losing key seniors Madi Schwabe, Lily Henry, Ally Bryant and Madi Hay along the way … two after the 2023 season and two more after 2024.
“Not everybody agrees with my coaching decisions, and that was a factor, but our girls pulled together,” Mann said. “They love each other. They play together. They bought in, and we finished exactly how we said at the beginning of the season that we were going to.”
Much like Thursday, the Raiders rallied from one down to win three in a row.
“Just the stage that we were playing on, we start two eighth-graders and a seventh-grader,” Mann said. “It’s really their first time on that stage, so just getting acclimated to that environment. I think my older ones came in a little overconfident.
“We just had to settle in after the first set, and we just came into our huddle and said, ‘This is not what we came here to do. We’re taking it home,’ and it was just relentless. We’re not going to lose.”
To win their third consecutive state title, Pleasant Valley had to overcome Mars Hill, which beat Winston County in the semifinals. Winston County beat Pleasant Valley 3-1 in the North Regional finals.
“Really, the last month, we’ve been honing in our blocking game,” Mann said. “Just lots and lots and lots of reps in practice on improving our blocking.
“With the regional game, there was a lot of outside factors that went on that really nobody else knew about it. … Just a lot of outside noise that just kind of knocked the wind out of them. It was not our best performance by any means. We did not play well.
“They were determined. We came back and had one practice before state tournament, and we knew that winning was our only goal.”
Besides Patterson’s 15 kills Thursday, the Raiders got 10 from Ella Parris, seven from Madison Scwabe and six from Elise Wheeler. Wheeler also dealt 30 assists with 11 digs, and Schwabe had a team-high 17 digs.
Wheeler was named tournament most valuable player, joining Patterson, Schwabe and Parris on the all-tournament team.
This story will be updated.
Pleasant Valley-Mars Hill live updates
–Match time, noon (after conclusion of 7A match, awards)
FIRST SET
–PV trails 5-4, Ella Parris with three kills.
–PV trails 9-12, Parris with four kills, Elise Wheeler six assists.
–Timeout, PV, trailing 9-15.
–PV trails 12-17 after kills by Ellie Patterson and Hanna Henry
–Timeout, PV, trailing 13-21.
–Now 13-23.
Mars Hill takes first set 25-14, leads 1-0.
SECOND SET
–Wheeler starts off with a kill, PV 1-0
–PV off to a 5-1 start after a Patterson kill.
–Timeout, Mars Hill, with PV leading 7-2
–PV up 10-4 after a Parris kill.
–Patterson kill on Wheeler assist, PV up 13-9.
–Henry kill puts PV up 17-10
–Timeout, PV, up 17-14
–Mars Hill rallies within 16-18, but PV scores four straight points to lead 22-16.
–Zallie Curvin with a service ace, 23-18.
–Parris with a kill,, 24-18
–Schwabe kill, 25-20.
PV wins second set 25-20, ties match 1-1
THIRD SET
–PV off to a 5-0 start
–Patterson service ace puts PV up 7-3
–PV leads 10-6. Parris with nine kills so far, Wheeler 20 assists.
–Schwabe kill puts PV up 12-7.
–Timeout, Mars Hill, with PV leading 13-7.
–Patterson kill, 15-8 PV
–Parris kill, PV 19-11..
–Timeout, Mars Hill, with PV leading 20-12. Parris with 10 kills, Patterson with nine.
PV wins third set 25-13, leads 2-1
FOURTH SET
–PV wins 16-11.
–Timeout, PV, up 16-13.
–Mars Hill rallying, within 19-18.
–Schwabe and Patterson kills put PV up 21-18.
–Patterson again, 23-19.
PV wins fourth set 25-19, wins third consecutive state title 3-1.
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