By Chuck Reherman, Sports Editor – EDMOND – Inches away.
That’s what Southwest Covenant needed to pull off the upset of the class 3A state volleyball tournament.
The inches went No. 1 Corn Bible Academy’s way.
Southwest Covenant leading 24-23 in the third set and already up 2-0 had a ball glance into the net, then over for what the Lady Patriots thought was the game winning play and stormed on the court in celebration of what they thought was an upset win.
But, the officials ruled the ball had gone into the net, giving the point and the serve to Corn Bible with the scored tied 24-24. Corn Bible scored the next two points to win the set 26-24.
It was the one thing and turned the momentum of the match completely around.
Corn went on to win the fourth set 25-17 to tie the match at 2-2 and send it to the fifth and deciding set.
And, that set was back and forth. Tied at 7-7, then tied at 9-9 and 10-10. Corn Bible went up 11-10, but the Patriots battled back to take a 15-14 lead and had the serve.
Corn Bible saw a kill go off the hands of an SWCS player and out of bounds to tie the set 15-15. The Lady Crusaders won the next two points, took the set 17-15 and advanced to the semifinals.
The opening set was a back and forth affair. The set was tied art 14-14, then the Lady Patriots worked a 21-19 lead. SWCS won the first set 25-22.
In the second set, the Lady Patriots led through most of the set and held a 22-18 lead. Corn Bible came back to close to 23-21, but the Lady Patriots won 25-22 to go up 2-0.
In the third set, the Lady Patriots led 19-17m then 22-18, Corn Bible came back to make it 23-22. SWCS went up 24-23 and thought they had won, but the call went to CBA and so did the third set 26-23.
