After having their season ended by the Crittenden County Lady Rockets the last two years, the Christian County Lady Colonels just decided that it was not going to happen again in the 2024 2nd Region volleyball tournament. The Lady Colonels got big plays from everyone who took to the court Monday night, just when they needed them the most as they rocked the Lady Rockets in straight sets in Monday night’s second quarterfinal match.
Crittenden County knocked off the Lady Colonels in the semifinals last year and in the quarterfinals in 2022. The win for Christian County continued the trend over this three-year span where the team that won in the regular season lost in the regional tournament. In 2023, Christian County won twice in the regular season only to fall to the Lady Rockets in the region tourney. In 2022, Christian County won during the season and then lost to Crittenden County in the regional.
This time, it was the Lady Colonels that got the win when it truly mattered the most, in what was arguably the best match for Christian County this season.
In what was an indication of how this match would be played, the first set featured 8 ties and four lead changes as it flipped back and forth between the two teams. Jazzy Tejada got the Lady Colonels started in the early moments of the set. Then, senior Skylar Kirby came up with big plays late in the set to help turn a 20-18 deficit into a 25-23 set win. Kirby scored two of the last three points for the Lady Colonels, including putting away the set-deciding point to put Christian County one set to none.
Led by the play of Jazzy Tejada and Ashlea Russell, Christian County got out to a quick 4-0 lead in the second. Mary Rachel Stephens and Hannah Mott brought the Lady Rockets back and helped push them into a 9-6 lead. From there, the set was almost a carbon copy of the first. There were 13 ties and 7 lead changes.
With Crittenden County up 24-23, it became the Kaidence Atwell show for the rest of the set. Atwell came up with kills for the next three points as Christian County struck quickly to take the 26-24 win and go up two sets to none, putting the Crittenden County Lady Rockets with their backs against the wall and their season slipping away.
But the Lady Rockets would not go quietly into the night. Big plays from Hannah Mott, Carly Porter, and Lilah Sherer early in the third set gave the Lady Rockets up 9-5. Lacey Boone had some critical plays that helped Crittenden County maintain the lead through the middle section of the set and the Lady Rockets looked to be ready to force a 4th set as they took a 17-13 lead.
But, big plays from Atwell, Russell, and Webster brought the Lady Colonels even at 18-18. Crittenden County took the lead back briefly at 19-18, however it was then time for the Lady Colonels to ‘slam the door’ on the Lady Rockets’ season.
Emma Webster, Skylar Kirby, Jazzy Tejada, and Peyton Owens, all came up with kills down the stretch as the Lady Colonels overtook the Lady Rockets and stormed out to win the set 25-20 and close out the match three sets to none. It was Peyton Owens’ point that set off the wild celebration on the floor.
Skylar Kirby was special Monday night, finishing with 13 kills, a block, and an ace. Jazzy Tejada and Kaidence Atwell added seven kills each. Emma Webster had six kills, two aces, and a block. Peyton Owens ended up with four kills and an ace. Shiloh Baker, Autumn Cook, and Ashlea Russell all added huge moments in the win.
Carly Porter led Crittenden County with 8 kills. Lacey Boone and Braelyn Merrill added five kills each. Brook Winstead finished with four kills and a block.
Crittenden County sees its season end at 19-5.
Christian County goes to 13-18 with the win and advances to Wednesday night’s first semifinal against Union County, who advanced with a straight-set win over Madisonville-North Hopkins.
