Lady Pioneers exit district tourney
LINCOLN — Nine teams from the 4A-1 Conference competed in the district volleyball tournament hosted by Lincoln High School last week, seeking to qualify for state competition.
Three of the league’s four spots in the State 4A volleyball tournament were decided on the tournament’s opening day, Monday, Oct. 16.
The opening match of the tournament was the most exciting as No. 8 West Fork needed five sets to defeat No. 9 Gentry (25-20, 25-22, 20-25, 19-25, 17-15). Gentry led 7-3 early in the first set before West Fork went on a 9-4 run to take the lead. There were five ties after that before West Fork took a 22-21 lead on Sara Blackard’s kill. Amy Greenlee served an ace and the Lady Tigers won 25-20.
West Fork took a 23-19 lead in the second set, but Gentry pulled within 23-22 capitalizing on West Fork errors. The Lady Tigers set up their offense with Blackard (dig), Brylee Kutz (set) and Emilee Felix (kill) teaming for a point. Kutz finished off the set with an ace.
Gentry won game three 25-20 and used an 11-5 run to pull away from a 10-10 tie in the fourth set which the Lady Pioneers won 25-19. Gentry reached game-point in the fifth set, at 14-12 on a West Fork hitting error, but couldn’t finish. A Gentry service error followed by Greenlee’s ace allowed West Fork to forge a 14-14 tie. With the set tied again at 15-all, West Fork got consecutive hits from Felix and Blackard, whose kill brought the Lady Tigers to game-point. West Fork won 17-15 on an ace.
“That was typical of our season. We start out at the bottom and build our way back up,” said Gentry coach Courtney Milsap. “We had one perfect set we missed at the end. West Fork outdid us at the very end. We have lots of improvements to make. I’m anxious to see what next year brings.”