DMV Playoff Review

The playoffs are in full gear in Virginia and just getting started in Maryland and soon in DC. Time to take a look at the teams and the players to watch from Maryland and D.C..

Virginia

Emma Gardner

VA #9

OH #5

HEIGHT 6'3"

POS OH

CLASS 2026

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Emma Gardner

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State: Virginia

School: WT Woodson

Highlights

Alexandria City hosted the last District championship match, taking on the number one seed Woodson. Even though Woodson won the regular season Alexandria City hosted the championship because it was the defending champion. During the regular season Woodson had swept Alexandria City twice. However, Alexandria City was more competitive the second time they had played them. The Titans were also coming into the match with a five match winning streak. The hope existed that things would be different the third time around.

Unfortunately for the Titans it was too much Maura Fay Maura Fay 6'1" | OH Woodson | 2024 State VA and Emma Gardner Emma Gardner 6'3" | OH WT Woodson | 2026 State VA . Emma led the team with 15 kills and Maura Fay Maura Fay 6'1" | OH Woodson | 2024 State VA added 9. The first two sets seemed like more of the same with the Cavaliers waltzing over the Titans 25-15, 25-14.

The Titans were more competitive in set three with Julia Kelly Julia Kelly 6'1" | OH Alexandria City | 2025 VA getting a kill to pull the Titans to within one and then combining with Harper Travis Harper Travis 5'11" | MB Alexandria City | 2024 State VA for a block to tie the game at 20-20. A Sofie Ferrell Sofie Ferrell 5'9" | S Woodson | 2026 State VA setter dump gave the Cavaliers the lead again, but Kelly got another kill to knot it at 21-21. The Cavaliers went on a two point run after a Catherine Quigley overset kill and a solo block by Maura Fay Maura Fay 6'1" | OH Woodson | 2024 State VA to up the lead to 23-21. Maura would later add a tip kill to pull the Titans within one point of completing a third sweep.

Bridget Wendling Bridget Wendling 5'10" | OH Alexandria City | 2024 VA pushed a two handed set to land deep into the setter’s coffin corner to pull the Titans to within one 23-24. A small rally was ended when the Titans were called for a net, which completed the Cavaliers sweep 25-23.

Nora Gilmer Nora Gilmer 6'0" | S Woodson | 2024 VA , Emma Gardner Emma Gardner 6'3" | OH WT Woodson | 2026 State VA and Maura Fay Maura Fay 6'1" | OH Woodson | 2024 State VA were voted to the All District tournament team for Woodson. For Alexandria City Harper Travis Harper Travis 5'11" | MB Alexandria City | 2024 State VA and libero Rania Shuster Rania Shuster DS/L Alexander City | 2024 VA were named to the team. Rania won the libero spot during the season and played the position well enough to earn second team honors on the All District Patriot team.

Both Alexandria City and Woodson will be hosting regional matchups.

The Class 6 Region A were all sweeps. Grassfield, Glen Allen. Deep Run and Cosby all advanced.

The Class 5 Region D also got started with Briar Woods sweeping past Independence 25-17, 25-16 and 25-13. Massaponax also swept past Lightridge 25-15. 25-11 and 26-24. Riverbend and Riverside both earned byes. Riverbend will host Briar Woods while Riverside will host Massaponax on 11/2. Class 5 Region B saw winners in Woodside, Granby, Menchville and Maury.

In Class 4 region C action Loudoun County just squeezed past Dominion in five, winning the last set 15-12. Earlier in the season Dominion had swept Loudoun County. Rock Ridge got past Woodgrove in four 25-9, 25-19, 28-30 and 25-10. Loudoun County will play Woodgrove for the Region 4c championship. Class 4 region B saw winners in Dinwiddle, Courtland, Spotslyvania and Chancellor. Atlee and Hanover received byes with Atlee slated to play Dinwiddle and Hanover slotted to play Spotslyvania. Region 4 A action saw Jamestown, Manor, Gloucester and Smithfield winners.

Maryland

Ema Djordjevic

VA #5

OH #2

HEIGHT 6'0"

POS OH

CLASS 2025

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Ema Djordjevic

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State: Virginia

School: Richard Montgomery

Club: MVSA Sparks

Highlights

Richard Mongomery played Wooten for the Montgomery County championship. Wooten had beaten the Rockets in five when they played during the regular season. It went five again, with Wooten winning the fifth set 15-12. Ema Djordjevic Ema Djordjevic 6'0" | OH Richard Montgomery | 2025 State VA picked up 17 kills in the game. The junior has reached 500 kills for her high school career.

For Class 4 the Richard Montgomery Rockets may have the most talented roster despite losing to Wootten twice. They start with Ema Djordjevic Ema Djordjevic 6'0" | OH Richard Montgomery | 2025 State VA , Elizabeth Mitchell Elizabeth Mitchell 5'9" | OH Richard Montgomery | 2026 State VA and Corinne Howard Corinne Howard 5'11" | MB Richard Montgomery | 2025 State VA providing offense from the pins. Corinne can also play middle. Ema shares setting duties with Amy Ye Amy Ye 6'1" | S Richard Montgomery | 2025 VA . Both stay in the game to hit right side. Middle Caroline Kaye Caroline Kaye 6'1" | MB Richard Montgomery | 2025 State VA leads the team in blocks. The back row is solid with libero Cassandra Bradley Cassandra Bradley 5'6" | DS/L Richard Montgomery | 2024 State VA and Ana Djordjevic Ana Djordjevic 5'5" | DS/L Richard Montgomery | 2027 State VA . Frosh Saesha Dhote Saesha Dhote 5'7" | OH Richard Montgomery | 2027 VA can also contribute from the pins.

After their two wins over the Rockets Wootten (Edit: been told they have dropped to Class 3) may now be the favorite in Class 4. Besides giving Richard Montgomery two losses they have also beaten last year’s defending champion Urbana. Wootten’s only two losses have come against Georgetown Day and Churchill. They have two strong setters in sophomores Taryn Su Taryn Su 5'7" | S Wootton | 2026 State VA and Sofia Sossa Sofia Sossa S Thomas S. Wootton | 2026 State VA . Libero Jessica Chen handles the back row duties. Caitlin Doherty Caitlin Doherty 5'9" | RS Thomas S Wootten | 2025 State VA (Edit: appears out for the playoffs) brings a solid presence to the middle. A pair of sisters, sophomore Sara Foster Sara Foster OH Thomas S Wootton | 2026 State VA hits from the pins while Paige Foster occupies a middle.

Simone Assasie

VA #92

MB #18

HEIGHT 5'9"

POS MB

CLASS 2026

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State: Virginia

School: Urbana

Club: Metro Vbc

A third team to watch is Urbana. They are the defending Class 4 state champions after defeating Arundel last year. They have two talented middles in Simone Assasie Simone Assasie 5'9" | MB Urbana | 2026 State VA and Ava Hinnant Ava Hinnant 6'0" | MB Urbana | 2025 State VA . Simone ranks first in kills and blocks. Talia DoCarmo Talia DoCarmo OH Tuscarora | 2026 State VA handles the offense from the outside. Libero Natalia Johnson takes responsibility for the back row. Kaelynn Burge Kaelynn Burge 5'8" | S Urbana | 2024 VA runs the offense with her setting.

Arundel has dropped down to Class 3A and will probably win this championship, after finishing second to Urbana in class 4 last year. They have yet to lose a match this year. Payton Swinton Payton Swinton 5'10" | RS Arundel | 2024 State VA demolishes balls from the right side, leading the team in kills. Her younger sister Bailey Swinton Bailey Swinton DS/L Arundel | 2026 State VA handles the libero role. The offense is run by Daisy Pentorn Daisy Pentorn 5'9" | S Arundel | 2025 State VA , who sets a 5/1. Kiara Harmon Kiara Harmon 6'1" | MB Arundel | 2024 VA leads the team in blocks and shares the middle blocking responsibilities with Brooke Waters. Taylor Johnson Taylor Johnson 5'6" | OH Arundel | 2024 VA and Deviana Walker Deviana Walker 5'11" | OH Arundel | 2024 State VA swing from the left side.

North Hagerstown with Caydence Doolan Caydence Doolan 5'10" | OH North Hagerstown | 2026 State VA and Baylee Doolan Baylee Doolan 5'8" | OH North Hagerstown | 2025 State VA hitting from the outside will be one of their challengers. The Northern Patriots are also undefeated but I have yet to see them play or any of their players on the roster play.

Washington D.C.

Jada Aksu

VA #9

RS #1

HEIGHT 6'0"

POS RS

CLASS 2025

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State: Virginia

School: Georgetown Day

Club: Metro VBC

Highlights

It will be a repeat of St.Johns and Georgetown Day in the championship match. The Mighty Hoppers will repeat as champions.

Jada Aksu Jada Aksu 6'0" | RS Georgetown Day | 2025 State VA leads in kills with her powerful left arm swinging from the right side. Zoe Ryu Zoe Ryu 6'2" | OH Georgetown Day | 2025 State VA and Aaliyah Howell Aaliyah Howell 5'9" | OH Georgetown Day | 2024 State VA take the swings from the left side. Frosh Zora Dimbo Zora Dimbo 5'10" | OH Georgetown Day | 2027 State VA can also take some swings from the pins. Middle Gabrielle Wigglesworth Gabrielle Wigglesworth 5'9" | MB Georgetown Day | 2026 State VA leads the team in blocks while Tessa Fergusson Tessa Fergusson 6'1" | MB Georgetown Day School | 2026 VA also shares the middle responsibility. Clara Yu Clara Yu 5'10" | S Georgetown Day | 2024 State VA is the primary setter, operating a 5/1. Shiraz Benyoucef Shiraz Benyoucef 5'8" | DS/L Georgetown Day | 2025 State VA fills the libero role.

St. Johns relies on their two left sides for their offense, Racquel Frazier Racquel Frazier 6'1" | OH St. Johns | 2025 State VA and Morgan Reeves Morgan Reeves 5'10" | OH St. Johns | 2026 State VA . Racquel leads the team in kills and her defense has improved that she also leads the team in digs. Both players play six rotations. Emilie Jabbour leads the team in blocks while handling the middle. The setting duties are shared by Avery Prendergast Avery Prendergast 5'9" | S St. Johns | 2025 State VA and Wynn Eaton Wynn Eaton 5'10" | S St. John's College | 2026 State VA . Erin Carmody fills the libero role.

A sleeper team to watch is Georgetown Visitation. Their two twins (pictured above), Audrey Monlux Audrey Monlux 5'10" | S Georgetown Visitation | 2024 State VA , who is their primary setter and Julia Monlux Julia Monlux 5'10" | MB Georgetown Visitation | 2024 State VA , who plays middle, fuel the offense. Despite being their primary setter Audrey is still third on the team in kills and aces. Jocelyn Gill Jocelyn Gill MB Georgetown Visitation | 2027 VA is one of the team’s more productive hitters from the middle, even though she is only a frosh. Katelyn Strike Katelyn Strike 6'4" | MB Georgetown Visitation | 2025 State VA plays middle or right side.