Despite some big comeback efforts, the Lady Cyclones couldn’t dethrone the Sullivan South Lady Rebels during Thursday’s District 1-AA Championship at Sullivan East High School.
The Lady Rebels, behind a big night from tournament MVP Abbey Jayne, topped Elizabethton 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 26-24).
“Really both teams had super powerful offenses going, and both teams were playing great defense,” said Elizabethton head coach Leslee Bradley. “It was fitting that the score was close in every set.”
Jayne finished the night with a double-double as she recorded 12 kills and 11 digs.
“We have got some good size on the front row, but we just couldn’t find the way to get in front of her to get a hand on it,” said Bradley about Jayne’s performance Thursday. “She just elevates and is going over the top of you. She sees the court really well.”
The Lady Cyclones will compete in the Region 1-AA tournament on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at Greeneville High School. Elizabethton will take on the Lady Green Devils in the semifinals. A win will give the Lady Cyclones a berth into the Class AA state sectional and a region championship. Sullivan South will take on Northview in the semis. The Region 1-AA tournament will be played in its entirety on Tuesday.
“We have not played Greeneville this year,” said Bradley. “It will be a new opponent for us. I feel like we do a good job adjusting on the fly. It will take us a few points to figure out what Greeneville is doing, but once we figure it out, no matter how far ahead they get, we will not be out of it.”
Lady Cyclones Morgan Smith and Sydney Goodsell, who both made the District 1-AA All-Tournament Team, led Elizabethton’s offensive attack as they both registered ten kills each. Goodsell also finished the night with 26 digs while Smith had 14 assists. Elizabethton’s Hannah Boster had seven kills on the night.