The Eighth District Volleyball Tournament should prove to be one of the most entertaining in recent memory, with another district match going five sets on Thursday.
University Heights Academy played its second five-set match of the week, downing Heritage Christian Academy in a matchup of the last two region champions.
UHA dropped the first set 25-16, but HCA came back for a 25-15 win in the second set.
HCA owned a four-point lead in the third set, but the Lady Blazers closed strong to win 25-23.
The Lady Warriors took the fourth set 25-21 to set up the climactic fifth set.
Tied at 3-3, Niyona Brown and Megan Long had consecutive kills to give the Lady Blazers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
HCA got to within two points six more times, the last at 12-10. But UHA closed with three straight points, getting the match winner on Brown’s ninth kill of the match. The sophomore also had six blocks.
UHA also got 32 assists, 11 digs, and four blocks from freshman Gretchen Durham and 23 digs from seventh grader Cassidy Keller.
Niyati Patel had 19 digs and six kills, and Long had eight kills. Ava Crawford had 17 digs and five kills.
Heritage Christian Academy got 18 kills and 17 digs from Hadlee Hayes, who also registered her 1,000th career dig in the fourth set.
Bralee Fowler added 17 kills, 36 digs, and four aces, and McKenzie McCarty had 40 assists.
Allie Craft had 30 digs, Charity Chambers had 13, and Emma Dalke contributed three aces and two blocks.
UHA (10-17) stands at 3-5 in the district. They next play on October 13 against Crittenden County.
HCA (13-16) is 4-3 in the district and will play at McLean County on Tuesday.
