On to Murfreesboro, Part V: Dyer County sweeps Millington to clinch state berth

 





Jason Peevyhouse

Editor, JP Productions Sports

After defeating Millington for a fourth straight postseason in the TSSAA Class AA Sectional Round, Dyer County will make it’s fifth straight trip to Murfreesboro for the Class AA State Tournament after the Choctaws swept the Lady Trojans in three sets on Thursday night in Newbern.


“I am very proud of them,” Dyer County Head Coach Shanna O’Bright said. “They work so hard. Getting back to state has been our goal all season.”

An ace from Evie Rogers and a kill by Rylee Key helped Dyer County build a 3-1 lead early in the first frame. Millington was able to stay within striking distance early but two kills from Key and a Katie Beth Caldwell ace helped the Choctaws build a 9-3 lead. Dyer County extended the lead even further with an Emma Wray kill and back-to-back blocks from Blair Acree to go along with a Kierstyn Ray ace. After another Acree block pushed the Dyer County lead to 19-6, the Choctaws weathered a brief Lady Trojan rally to take a 25-10 win in the first set.

The second set was the closest of the night. While Millington didn’t lead at any point during the set, the Lady Trojans didn’t fall too far behind either. A Wray kill and an ace from the senior helped the Choctaws take a 9-4 lead before a quick Millington rally cut into the lead. Dyer County answered with a Rogers ace and built its lead to 19-12 after a Key kill moments later. In this set, the Lady Trojans kept battling back, answering kills from Wray and blocks from Acree and Key to keep within striking distance. But, after a Key block, a Wray ace sealed the 25-19 win in the second set.

Millington did take an early lead in the third set but two Key kills and another from Acree capped a 7-1 run to give Dyer County an 8-4 lead. A block and a kill from Acree along with a Wray ace and a Caldwell preceded a Wray ace that built Dyer County’s lead to double figures at 16-6. The Choctaws looked to put the game away with aces from Rogers and Zoey Morris as well as a Caldwell kill. Dyer County clinched the set and match with a service error to win 25-10 and punch their ticket for the state tournament.


With their spot in the state tournament secured for the fifth straight season, it will be business as usual for the Choctaws heading into next Tuesday’s state tournament opener at Rockvale High School in Murfreesboro.

“We will be in the gym this weekend working hard to be ready for next week,” O’Bright explained.

Dyer County, the defending Class AA state runner-up, will begin the quest for a state championship on Tuesday, Oct. 21, when the Choctaws travel to Murfreesboro. The Class AA bracket begins at 9:30 a.m. that morning with the final game beginning at 5 p.m.

This year’s state tournaments in volleyball will be different as there will be a winner’s bracket and a consolation bracket. While this has been the case in recent years, once a team falls out of the winners' bracket, there is no way for the team to play back into the championship game on Friday at MTSU.

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