Volleyball roundup: Lady Canes secure state playoff berth, Adairsville nets road win
Tuesday night, the Cartersville High School volleyball team advanced to the Region 5-AAAA championship rounds Thursday at Sandy Creek by winning a pair of matches in straight sets. Cartersville opened the tournament with a 25-8, 25-8 win over LaGrange and eliminated Central-Carroll 25-20 and 25-23 to reach the title match. The Tuesday wins also secure a berth in the Class AAAA state playoffs that will begin October 19.
Cartersville will square off against host Sandy Creek Thursday in the winner’s bracket final with a chance to secure a state tournament home date. The Cartersville/Sandy Creek loser will need one additional win Thursday for a rematch in the region best-of-five finals.
In Cartersville’s opening win Tuesday over LaGrange, the serving of Anna Grace Brock, Abby Allen, and Mia Nicklas was the difference-maker according to coach Dutch Cothran. “We started a little slowly,” noted Cothran, “but we had some good service runs and were able to pull away. Our energy was great and we had fun.” Nicklas had seven aces in a run of 12 points in the victory over the Grangers. In a much closer win over Central-Carroll, the Lady Canes held off a pesky Lions squad. “They (Central) play really hard on defense and serve well,” said Cothran. “ They had several aces against us, but when we got to their serves we passed really well. Our hitters — Lauren Wenzell, Halle Matthews, Anna Grace Brock, London Moultrie, and Mia Nicklas — were all very solid. It was a great team win.”
The Region 5-AAAA All-Region team was identified Tuesday night. Wenzell and Matthews were named to the 2019 All-Region team.
Now 19-12 on the season, the Canes travel to Sandy Creek Thursday for a 5 p.m. start. The double-elimination tournament concludes Thursday night.
ADAIRSVILLE WINS AT PICKENS
The Lady Tigers volleyball team won at Pickens Tuesday to spoil the Dragons’ senior night. Adairsville won 25-21 and 25-23. Players of the game, according to coach Kaylie Vaughn Martin, were Megan Smith with six aces for the match and Maddie Reitz with six kills and two blocks. The Tigers begin the Region 6-AAA double-elimination tournament Saturday against Calhoun at Haralson County.
WOODLAND, CASS ELIMINATED AT REGION TOURNEY
The Cass volleyball team lost a pair of three set matches Tuesday and were eliminated at the Region 7-AAAAA tournament. The Lady Colonels won the middle set in their opener with Villa Rica 25-19, but fell in the first set 25-10 and the deciding set 15-5.
In their losers’ bracket match, Cass beat Hiram 25-20 in the first set but fell in the last two sets by narrow 29-27 and 15-13 scores.
“We played well,” said Cass head coach Alan Potter, “we just couldn’t finish.” The Woodland volleyball team was also knocked out of the double-elimination Region 7-AAAAA tournament Tuesday with losses to Carrollton and Hiram. The second-seeded Trojans won the opener in straight sets, 25-15 and 25-22. The Lady Cats then won the middle set, but fell to the ninth-seeded Hornets 25-21, 19-25, and 16-14.
Woodland’s season ends with a 20-19 record.
