HEADING TO STATE
A tournament newcomer and a tournament veteran will represent Shelby County when the AAA state volleyball tournament gets underway Wednesday in Murfreesboro.
White Station earned its first trip in school history Thursday, defeating host Bartlett 25-20, 25-20, 21-25, 31-29. There was a lot less suspense at the other sectional at Houston, where the Mustangs defeated Dyer County 25-10, 25-14, 25-11 to advance for the ninth time in 10 years.
“I can’t stop shaking right now,” said White Station senior standout Abigail Duncan. “It really hasn’t hit me yet.
“We’re just like the underdog team. We don’t have a lot of players that play club (volleyball), whereas with other teams the majority of the starters do. We won with our raw talent and our fight.”
Said first-year Spartans coach Teresa Thomas: “I can hardly believe it. They’ve just worked so hard all year and I’m so proud.”
With Bartlett looking out of sync early, the firedup Spartans took the first two sets before the Panthers regrouped to take the third.
The fourth set was epic. White Station led 24-19 before the Panthers rallied to tie at 24. The momentum shifted back and forth before White Station finally prevailed, setting off a wild celebration.
“I think the difference was our serving and passing,” said Thomas. “It all came together today.”
At Houston, the Mustangs used their size advantage to overpower the Choctaws. Coach Becky Pendleton’s team went through a frustrating lull midway through the season but appears to be back on track at the right time.
“We’re OK,” she said. “We have seven seniors and not all seven can play (at the same time). And we moved some people around; we were middleheavy but only had one outside hitter.
“And we’ve always been known for our defense, but our defense didn’t really come together until the Mid-Tennessee tournament (earlier this month). We’re finally starting to block and dig.”
IN GIRLS SOCCER
St. George’s advanced to the D2-A West Regional title game, beating ECS 5-4 on penalties after the two battled through regulation and overtime tied at 2.
The Gryphons (8-6-4) host USJ in Tuesday’s title game. ECS (15-3-0) will play St. Mary’s for third.
This week’s Division 2-A state volleyball tournament in Murfreesboro could rightly be called the West Tennessee Classic.
Three of the four teams in the field will be from Shelby County as Harding, St. George’s and St. Mary’s won substate matches Saturday to advance.
The most surprising were the Turkeys, who placed third in the West Region and went on the road to defeat East/ Middle No. 2 seed Zion Christian 25-17, 22-25, 2519, 25-22. It will be the first final four appearance for St. Mary’s.
“We came out ready to play and were very solid in the first (set),” said Turkeys coach Kari Duncan. “Then we started to play a little reactionary in the second and lost, but once we decided to just play our game, we got back on track. Our defense today was just great, but it was really a team effort.”
“We know we’re the underdogs; we’ve played fewer matches than the other teams. But I think we have a chance if we can execute and get the other teams out of their games.”
Harding, the top seed in the West Region, had no trouble with The King’s Academy, winning 25-10, 25-10, 25-7. The Lions will take a 37-6 record into the tournament.
St. George’s, which lost to Harding in last week’s region title game, advanced with a 16-25, 25-6, 25-16, 25-10 victory over Friendship Christian. The Gryphons will be looking to win their first state title since 2011 when play begins on Wednesday.
ECS, the other local hopeful in Division 2-A, lost on the road against nationally ranked Knoxville Webb.
Briarcrest surged into the Division 2-AA tournament and won its 42nd match of the season, defeating Brentwood Academy 25-14, 25-14, 25-11. The Saints (42-4-1) will be joined at state by St. Agnes, which qualified with a victory over Nashville Ensworth last week.