Staff Reports
PLEASANT VALLEY – Cedar Bluff outlasted Sand Rock in four sets, then finished runner-up to Pleasant Valley in the Class 2A Area 13 volleyball tournament on Tuesday evening.
In the elimination match with Sand Rock, the Lady Tigers (14-22) earned a 25-15 win in the first set, then fell 24-26 in the second. Cedar Bluff rebounded to take a 27-25 win in the third, and finished off the match with a 25-23 victory in the fourth. It was the first time a team had defeated Sand Rock (13-25) in the first round of the area tournament since 2011.
The win set up a championship showdown with defending 2A state champion Pleasant Valley. The Lady Tigers fell in three sets 15-25, 11-25 and 15-25 to finish as area runner-up.
“It was a complete team effort tonight,” Cedar Bluff head coach Deidra Cox said. “I’m proud of how we prepared for our game against Sand Rock and our mentality during that game. Even when there was adversity, they found a way to pull together and fight through.”
Against Sand Rock, Rylie Walker posted 27 assists, three kills, three digs and an ace. Janaya Higgins managed 12 kills and a pair of aces. Kindal Grace delivered eight kills and three aces. Caley Bruce contributed four kills, four aces and two blocks. Anslee Evans came away with four digs, three kills, three aces and a block. Blakelea Hall had eight digs. Kaylyn Vadon finished with three digs, a kill, an ace and a block.
Molly Grace Lay delivered 30 digs and a pair of aces for Sand Rock. Maddie Clanton collected 35 assists and 17 digs. Paitlyn Hughes had 16 digs. Peyton Johnson posted nine kills and a pair of blocks. Macey Pruitt also had nine kills. Kailee Patterson and Paisley Ford both contributed seven kills.
In Cedar Bluff’s match against Pleasant Valley, Walker earned eight assists, a kill, a block and a dig. Higgins had four kills and an ace. Grace contributed three kills and a block. Bruce managed two kills and two aces. Hall had eight digs. Evans added a block and Anna Henderson finished with a dig.
Walker, Grace, Higgins and Hall were all selected from Cedar Bluff to the all-area tournament team.
The Lady Tigers advance to take on the Area 12 tournament winner in the North Super Regional at the Finley Center in Hoover next Wednesday at 11:30 a.m.