MADISON- Could the Scott High School volleyball team be playing its best at the right time?
The second-seeded Skyhawks defeated top-seeded Wayne in four sets Wednesday night at Scott High School- 26-24, 25-17, 15-25, 25-19- to claim its second Class AA Region 4, Section 2 championship in three years.
“Our girls are scrappy,” Scott coach Liz Underwood said. “Wayne’s got better hitters, but we defended them and defended them well tonight.”
Scott (23-12) will face the Class AA Region IV Section I runner-up at 10 a.m. Saturday morning at Winfield High School. Top-seed Winfield will face third-seeded Point Pleasant Thursday evening at Point Pleasant High School in the Section I championship match.
Scott faced both teams during the regular season, splitting with Winfield and losing to Point Pleasant in the lone meeting between the two schools.
“When they play each other, it could be either one,” Underwood said. “I am excited for the regionals, and we will be ready for either one Saturday.”
Wayne (23-17) has faced both Point Pleasant and Winfield twice during the regular season. The Pioneers split with Point and was swept by Winfield this season.
Saturday’s regional tournament is single elimination meaning the Skyhawks and Pioneers could meet for sixth time this season if both are victorious in their opening match.
“We are happy to continue on in the regional and see where we can go from there,” Wayne coach Kevin Maynard said. “Liz has a great team, and I am hoping we get to see them Saturday afternoon.”
The Skyhawks got off to a fast start in the first set jumping out to a nine-point advantage, 15-6, forcing Wayne to call its second timeout of the first set. The Pioneers would eventually tie the set at 24-24, before the Skyhawks produced a couple of big blocks to break serve and eventually close out the first set 26-24.
That momentum carried over into the second set as the Skyhawks built a 17-11 lead. A service error and net violation killed any hopes of a Pioneer comeback as the Skyhawks took the second set 25-17.
Wayne rebounded in the third set as the Pioneers went on a 9-1 run to break open a tightly contested set and led 17-9 before the Skyhawks closed to within six, 21-15, but four straight service points gave the Pioneers a 25-15 victory.
Scott started fast and jumped to an 11-5 lead in the fourth set, before Wayne rallied to tie the set with six straight points. The Pioneers led 19-16 and appeared to have momentum, but just as they did in the first set, the Skyhawks broke Wayne’s serve and closed the set with nine consecutive points to claim the fourth set and the sectional championship.
For Scott it was sweet redemption as the Skyhawks had lost three meetings during the regular season with the Pioneers. In fact, the Skyhawks failed to win a set in three matches. That changed Monday when Scott defeated Wayne in four sets. The Pioneers won in five sets Tuesday to force a winner-take-all sectional final.
“We have played Wayne five times this season,” Underwood said. “In each match the team that won the first two sets and has gone on to win the match.”
