She was not the region’s volleyball player of the year for nothing. With her team down one set to none to Caldwell County in the second regional semifinal Wednesday night, Hannah Watkins, bad ankle and all, took her team on her back and carried them to the championship game of the region tournament. Watkins, along with Brooke Springer, were the difference as the Lady Colonels took the match three sets to one.
The two teams battled back and forth through the early part of the first set. With Caldwell County leading 6-5, the Lady Tigers went on a 8-0 run to take a 14-5 lead. The lead would grow to as many as 13 points at 19-6. From that point on, the Lady Colonels could get no closer than seven points for the rest of the set, as Caldwell County won the set 25-17. Olivia Mitchell and Sheadon Allen had huge opening sets for Caldwell County. Mitchell had five kills, while Allen added four. Kaitlyn Conway chipped in with two service aces.
Early in the second set, it looked like it would be more of the same for Caldwell County. The Lady Tigers jumped out to a 9-2 lead and looked to be cruising. Henderson then roared back with a 14-4 run behind the play of 2nd Region Player of the Year Hannah Watkins to take a 16-13 lead. Caldwell County fought back to tie the set at 18-18, but the Lady Colonels then scored the next six points to go up 24-18. Henderson went on to win the set 25-19 to even the match at one set each. Sheadon Allen led the Lady Tigers in the set with six kills.
The momentum of their win in the second set carried over to the beginning of the 3rd for the Lady Colonels. Henderson bolted out to a 4-1 lead, and extended that lead to 9-5. Behind the play of Abby Griggs, Caldwell County battled back to take a 10-9 lead. Henderson County took control of the set for good with a 7-1 run at that point to go up 16-11. Caldwell County got no closer than four points for the rest of the set as Henderson won 25-19 to go up 2-1. Abby Griggs battled to keep Caldwell County in the set, coming up with four kills.
Henderson looked like they would roll through the 4th set, jumping out to a 12-5 lead. Behind the play of Abby Griggs and Sheadon Allen, Caldwell battled back to take a 14-13 lead. Henderson responded with five straight to take control of the match, as they held on to win the set 25-19 to close out the match.
Caldwell County sees their season end at 24-10, while Henderson improves to 21-11. Henderson advances to take on UHA for the 2nd Region championship Thursday night at Union County High School.
