FORT OGLETHORPE — The Sonoraville Lady Phoenix volleyball team proved that they were the best in their area for the fourth straight year on Saturday, and they got a little revenge in the process.
The Lady Phoenix won three matches on Saturday at the Area 6-AAA Tournament, including the final two over top seed and host LFO, who handed Sonoraville their only area loss during the regular season, to claim their fourth straight area title.
After defeating Ringgold and LFO to reach the area finals, Sonoraville (39-8) once again had to tangle with the Lady Warriors in a best-of-five showdown. The Lady Phoenix won the first two sets 25-19, 25-22, but LFO wouldn’t go away quietly, rallying back to take the third set 25-22. Sonoraville clinched the match and the area title, however, with a 25-21 victory in the fourth set, and the celebration began.
“I’m absolutely drained,” said Sonoraville coach Trace Vaughn after the hard-fought win over LFO. “That was a nailbiter. LFO’s big hitter really heated up in the middle of that match, but I told the girls that it was a marathon and every time they land a blow, we’ve got to come back with an even harder blow. I never saw signs of our girls falling apart.
“There’s no doubt that losing to LFO a few weeks ago in the regu- lar season was a turning point for our team. It forced us to take a look at ourselves and refocus as one team and one unit. The girls really game together and got the attitude right, and that paid off today.”
Sonoraville opened the day on Saturday with a two-set win (2510, 25-21) over Ringgold to advance to the winner’s bracket final against LFO. They then clinched their spot in the region finals with a two-set win (25-16, 25-22) over the Lady Warriors. (Sonoraville opened the tournament on Thursday with a first-round win over Adairsville.)
The Lady Phoenix were led by their seniors on Saturday with Emalie Hicks, Savannah Wilbanks and Maris Irick coming up huge to make sure they didn’t let the area title streak end on their watch. Hicks finished with 47 kills, 13 digs, seven aces and there blocks, Wilbanks had 64 assists, seven kills, six digs, four aces and three blocks and Irick added 27 kills, 26 digs and six aces.
Wilbanks said reaching their goal of another area title and defeating LFO to earn it was very exciting.
“It just makes we want to cry,” said Wilbanks. “We’ve put a lot of hours in, and to win it again is incredible not only for ourselves but also for Coach Vaughn. I love this team.
“A lot of people expected us to not win this, but we pushed through and worked as a team and we beat a very good team in LFO.”
Also contributing to Saturday’s accom- plishments were Haley Smith with 23 digs and six aces, Delaney Bell with 17 digs and three aces, Baylea Richards with 16 digs and six aces, Gracen Hornbrook with eight kills, four digs and two assists, Taryn Hickey with eight kills and five blocks and Caroline Magill with four kills and two assists.
Vaughn said this area championship team, especially his nine seniors, has continued the tradition with hard work and focus on the goals they’ve set not only this season but over the past several.
“Four area titles in a row is incredibly, and these girls have done a great job building the program to what it is now and setting the bar high,” said Vaughn.