MURFREESBORO – The Baylor Lady Red Raider volleyball team showed just how big their hearts are here at Middle Tennessee Christian School Tuesday afternoon.
Facing the Ensworth Lady Tigers in the semifinal round of the Division II-AA state volleyball tournament, Baylor had a real battle on its hands.
But as has been the case in so many previous close matches, Baylor somehow and someway found a way to prevail.
The Lady Red Raiders are now 34-6 following the 3-2 win by scores of 14-25, 25-9, 25-18, 18-25 and 15-11
Baylor coach Sarah Lail knows all about winning tough matches on the sport's biggest stage. Tuesday's win over Ensworth was just the latest in her long and successful career as the leader of the Lady Raiders.
"That was simply awesome," Lail said in her post-match comments.
"I'm so proud of all of these girls, but especially Elli Kinney as she's one of our seniors who simply doesn't want for this to come to an end. She has the ability to take over a match and she lifts the play of the others to match her intensity.
"But Ensworth has a fantastic team. We had to change a few things up toward the end that worked, but we believed in ourselves. We had a case of the nerves in the first set, but I thought we settled down and played well after that.
"And even after we won the third set, we knew that Ensworth would come battling back and that's what they did. We knew it would be a real battle like always, but we were able to capitalize on some free balls that gave us some wide-open hits.
"And this is just the start. We know it will get tougher, but we're just glad we don't have to play a second match tonight. At least, we can enjoy this one for a little while before returning to business tomorrow," she nodded.
The first four sets may not have been close score-wise, but the competition was unbelievable as players from both teams were swinging for all they were worth and the other team making unbelievable returns like there was no tomorrow.
But when push came to shove in the final set to 15, Baylor stepped up and executed with the match on the line.
A kill from Sullivan Brown gave Ensworth a 10-8 lead, but that's when Baylor went to work.
With Kinney getting two of her team-high 22 kills, Baylor scored the next five points before a kill from Maeby Graetens cut the difference to 13-11.
Another kill from Kinney put Baylor at match point and it was over when Alia Sherrow recorded the second of her two blocks for the winning point.
Kinney was the leader of the pack with 22 kills and 13 digs while Sydney Sharpe had 38 assists and Morgan Sharpe 20 digs. Sydney Sharpe and Kinney led the way with three aces apiece.
Baylor now awaits the winner of the Briarcrest-Knoxville Catholic match, which is a replay of last year's championship.
BAYLOR STATS:
Conleigh Brock – 2 kills, 4 digs, 2 blocks
Morgan Sharpe – 1 assist, 2 aces, 20 digs
Franny Brooksbank – 1 assist, 19 digs
Addie Margio – 8 kills
Maggie Hansen – 7 kills, 1 dig, 2 blocks
Sydney Sharpe – 5 kills, 38 assists, 3 aces, 10 digs
Elli Kinney – 22 kills, 3 assists, 3 aces, 13 digs, 1 block
Alia Sherrow – 3 kills, 2 blocks
Kaylee Snyder – 2 assists, 1 ace, 7 digs.
Story by John Hunt
