Staff report

MOUNT ULLA — All volleyball playoff matches matter, but this one was more emotional than usual.

West Rowan’s 28-18, 25-16 and 25-16 sweep of Carson on Saturday was the last home game for 14th-seeded West Rowan in the 3A playoffs.

That also made it the last h0me game for head coach Jan Dowling.

“My team won the last home game here when I was playing, and still remember it,” Dowling said. “Now we’ve won my last one as a coach here.”

Dowling plans to call it a career after West’s season ends. This is her 28th year as a head coach.

Her daughter, KK Dowling, plays for Queens, and she’ll have an opportunity to see more of her games.

Dowling, a West Rowan and Western Carolina graduate, started her coaching career at Anson and had a long run at South Rowan before returning home to coach the Falcons.

This is her 10th season at West.

She coached her 224th match for West on Saturday. West is 164-60 during her tenure, including this season’s 18-7 record.

Dowling has had a quite a run of players, including Tori Hester, one of the best ever in the county.

The latest standout for West is Emma Clarke. Clarke led the Falcons to Saturday’s win with 19 kills and 21 digs.

Lydia Wilson had nine kills, nine digs and two blocks.

Sophia Blackledge had six kills, nine digs and two blocks.

Skyy Ruben had four kills and two blocks.

Ava Gusler had 10 digs.

Neely Hiatt had 30 assists.

West beat Carson (15-12) for the third time.

Next for West is a trip to third-seeded Kings Mountain (29-1) on Tuesday.