Lady Ramblers earn No. 4 seed for state

It’s been five somewhat frustrating seasons since the LaFayette Lady Ramblers have gone to state volleyball playoffs, but that frustration was replaced by plenty of pent-up joy on Saturday.

The Lady Ramblers went 1-1 on their own home court at the Area 6-4A tournament on Saturday, but they won the match that counted the most as they punched their ticket to the GHSA state playoffs for the first time since 2011.

“Our main goal at the beginning of the year was to go to state,” head coach Chris Logan said. “You always want to set high goals and we’ve been just one win away (from state) for at least the last two years, so we’re glad to finally get back.”

After dropping their first tournament match to fifth-seeded and eventual area champion Ridgeland on Thursday, the fourth-seeded Lady Ramblers faced thirdseeded Gilmer in an elimination match.

LaFayette lost a three-setter to the Lady Bobcats earlier this season and Gilmer - a 34-win team this season - came into the tournament on a hot streak, having won six in a row and seven of its previous eight matches.

The Lady Ramblers appeared to be on their way to a victory in the opening set, as they led 23-21. But Gilmer would get the benefit of three questionable calls down the stretch as they stunned LaFayette, 2523, to take the opening set.

However, LaFayette would shake off the misfortune and channel their energies toward the second set, in which they won 25-17. They would follow up with a 25-16 win in the decisive third set to knock Gilmer from the tournament and earn that long-awaited return trip to state.

“There were a few calls that went against us (at the end of the first set), but a lot of volleyball is mental,” Logan explained. “I get into it and the girls get into it, so I had to tell myself to calm and down relax so they