YORK — After 18 years of disheartening defeats, eight in state championship games, Grafton finally had Loudoun County “where we wanted them” in a Class 4 girls volleyball state semifinal Tuesday at Grafton.
But the Clippers were unable to close the deal as the Captains from Northern Virginia rallied to win 19-25, 25-15, 27-25, 23-25, 15-13.
Loudoun County (16-5) moves on to the final on Saturday, when it will vie for its 15th state title — the first of which came in 2007 in an epic five-set final against Grafton. The Clippers (24-1), who have not won a state title in 11 championship-game appearances since that first in ’07, had played in a state final eight consecutive seasons (six in Class 4 and two in Class 3).
“They got a little more aggressive in the end and, when we needed a side out, we didn’t pass the ball that great,” Grafton coach David Keeter said. “We missed a serve at (13-13 in the final set) and that kind of deflates you.”
With star middle hitter Kenzie Smith (21 kills) at her best, and sisters Ana Breckons (10 kills) and Alivia Breckons (eight kills, six aces) also shining, the Clippers vaulted to a 12-7 lead in the fifth and deciding set. But Charlotte Arrington, a Duquesne commit, pounded three consecutive kills to lead a six-point run that gave the Captains a 13-12 lead.
The Clippers got the serve back on an unforced error by the Captains that knotted the score at 13. But Loudoun County scored the winning two points, the first on a fault by the Clippers, who failed to return the ensuing serve over the net as the Captains celebrated their victory.
Grafton’s Kenzie Smith spikes the ball past Loudoun Valley defenders during Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, night’s VHSL state semifinal in Yorktown. (Stephen M. Katz / The Virginian-Pilot)
Ana Breckons led the Clippers to a first-set win, before the Captains won the second set by dominating at the net. After losing the third set by two points, Grafton got several key kills from Smith to win the fourth set by two points and set up the decisive fifth set.
The large Grafton student section was vocal as the Clippers pulled out to a 12-7 lead in the final set. Loudoun County rallied to continue its mastery of the Clippers.
“I’m not mad at all about this loss, because that’s a really good team,” Keeter said. “The frustrating part is we had them in this gym, where we wanted them, and we just let it slip away.”
