Lady Devils fall into state volleyball loser's bracket
Oct. 20—ROCKVALE — Lebanon was playing for its volleyball season in the TSSAA championships loser's bracket yesterday afternoon at Rockvale High School.
The Lady Devils found themselves in this predicament after dropping a five-set match to Hillsboro in the tournament's first match Tuesday morning. Lebanon was 21-9 going into yesterday's elimination match against Houston.
None of the players were alive when their schools last played in this tournament. Lebanon, in the round of eight for the first time since 2001, breezed to a 25-12 first-game win over Hillsboro. But the Lady Burros, whose last trip here was 40 years ago, unveiled a devastating blocking and hitting attack in Game 2 as the Lady Burros scored the first eight points. The Lady Devils climbed to within 15-14 but could never pull even and lost 25-21.
The sneaker was on the other foot in Game 3 as Lebanon jumped to a 7-0 lead. But what would have made this most memorable had the Lady Devils ultimately won was after falling behind 24-19 and Hillsboro playing for a 2-1 lead, LHS rallied with six straight points to take a 25-24 lead and went on to win 27-25.
But Hillsboro quickly regrouped and opened a 4-0 lead in Game 4. Lebanon stayed within striking distance but only succeeded in pulling into a 20-20 tie before falling 25-21, forcing a fifth game.
Playing to 15 points in the fifth game, the teams were even until Hillsboro built an 8-5 lead. Lebanon rallied to go up 13-10 before the Lady Burros scored the final five points.
The winner of yesterday's match could play up to three games today — 9:30 a.m., 5 p.m. and 7:30 and would need to win them all to take the long way to tomorrow's 4 p.m. championship match. But unlike softball, there is no "if necessary" match. The final will be winner take all.
