Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

First-year head coach George Abarientos and his staff, Crystal VanHuss and Rachel Robinson, made history Thursday night as the Elizabethton Lady Cyclones defeated Greeneville to claim their first outright volleyball conference championship.

The match wasn’t easy, as the Lady Cyclones had to hit the road to face a strong Greeneville squad. The Greene Devil faithful were loud, and the gym, known for its low ceilings, made for a challenging environment. After losing the first set 23-25, the Cyclones rallied to win the next two sets 25-17 and 25-20, giving them a chance to close out the match. The final set was tightly contested, with neither team gaining a significant advantage. Greeneville led midway through the set, looking to force a decisive fifth set, but the Lady Cyclones rallied again, winning 25-22 to bring the championship back to Elizabethton.

On the night, Ava Wilber recorded 16 kills, while Jacy Shell added seven. Abby Gwinn contributed 15 assists, and Zyleigh Bates posted an impressive 23 digs.

After the game, Coach Abarientos praised his team’s resilience in the face of adversity. “Greeneville is a hard place to play, but what impressed me most was our willingness to fight. We got down several times, but we never gave up and never stopped fighting. I think this is something this program can build on moving forward,” Abarientos said.