It was a heartbreaking end to what had been a spectacular and record setting volleyball season for the University Heights Academy Lady Blazers. The team had set a record for wins in a season and had picked up some highlight wins over the course of the season.
It has been said that the champs are the champs until someone takes their crown away. That turned out to the case again Thursday night at the 2nd Region volleyball championship game. For the second night in a row, with their backs and their season against the wall, the Henderson County Lady Colonels rallied from behind, this time down two sets to one against University Heights, to take the regional title 3-2 over the Lady Blazers.
Henderson County bolted out of the gate fast, getting out to a 6-2 lead and prompting a University Heights timeout. Including in the run were a pair of aces from Sophie Margelot. UHA came out of the timeout and outscored the Lady Colonels 9-5 to even things up at 11-11. Henderson had an answer of their own, going on an 8-1 run to push the lead back out to 19-12. UHA would get as close as three at 21-18 and 24-21. Henderson got a kill from Margelot to close out the set 25-21 and take a 1-0 lead in the match.
Henderson got a big first set from Brooke Springer with a pair of blocks and a pair of kills. The Lady Colonels also had big play at the net from Kaylee Stott. UHA had a big set from Beth Peebles, with six assists, while younger sister Sarah Peebles chipped in with a pair of service aces.
Henderson again got off to a quick start in the second set, jumping out to a 5-2 lead. Again, back came the Lady Blazers, using strong play from Meghan Adams to take a 9-8 lead. From that point the set became a “knockdown, drag out” affair. The set would be tied at 9-9, 10-10, 11-11, 13-13, 18-18, 19-19, 21-21, and 22-22. UHA would score the final three points of the set to take the set 25-22 and even the match at one set apiece.
The Lady Blazers got another big set from Beth Peebles, who had five assists. Meghan Adams added another four kills, including a couple of key ones coming down the stretch of the set. Mistakes hurt the Lady Colonels late in the set as they committed four errors over the final nine points, two of those serves into the net.
In the third set, it was the Lady Blazers’ turn to get off to the quick start. UHA jumped out to a 6-2 lead to take early control of the set. Leading 6-5, UHA then went on a 9-1 run to blow out to a 15-6 lead and effectively put the set out of reach. The Lady Blazers rolled on out to close out the set 25-13.
The dominant set performance by the Lady Blazers was highlighted by Beth Peebles with six assists, Meghan Adams with four kills, and Eveyln Morales with three kills. Lily Hendricks had a stellar performance in the set coming up with several point saving digs to keep the ball in play for UHA. Henderson County essentially was a two player show in the set with Brooke Springer and Kaylee Stott combining for nine kills.
With their backs and their season against the wall, the Lady Colonels came out punching in the fourth set. Led by the play of Brooke Springer, Henderson bolted out to a 9-2 lead. UHA fought back to get as close as three at 10-, but Henderson found enough in the tank to go on another run and push the lead back out to 16-7. The Lady Blazers would get as close as five points before the Lady Colonels went on to close out the set 25-15 to even the match up at two sets each and force the deciding 5th set.
Brooke Springer was a one player wrecking crew for Henderson in the set, finishing with four kills and three blocks. Beth Peebles had another solid set for UHA with five assists.
With the crowd roaring, the anticipation and the anxiety of a fifth set got underway. After a hard fought first four sets, it was no surprise that the 5th was tight right out of the gate, tied at 3-3 and 4-4. Henderson County scored the next three points, including a point on a diving play by Avery Marshall, to make it 7-4 and result in a UHA timeout.
Out of the time out, the Lady Colonels outscored the Lady Blazers 3-1 to extend the lead to 10-5 and lead to another timeout as UHA tried to stem the Henderson momentum. The Lady Colonels pushed the lead on out to 12-5 before the Lady Blazers made their last ditch effort to try and pull out the match.
UHA scored three in a row to lead to a Henderson timeout at 12-8. There would be no miracle rally to finish out the match however for the Lady Blazers. Kaylee Stott had a block and a kill for the final two points of the set as Henderson closed it out 15-8 to take the match and the regional title three sets to two.
The Lady Blazers, who fall to Henderson County for the second year in a row in the title game, finish the season with a record of 30-6.
