Season ends in Regional Quarterfinals
Photo by Larry Turner
The Wills Point Lady Tigers earned an Area title for the second consecutive season Nov. 2 with a four-set win over Texarkana Pleasant Grove at Pine Tree High School in Longview.
The Wills Point Lady Tigers were the standard bearer among county volleyball programs, finishing their year as the lone local program to win an Area title and reach the Regional Quarterfinal round.
Wills Point tangled with a strong Texarkana Pleasant grove team at Pine Tree High School Nov. 2, taking home a 25-23, 19-25, 25-20, 25-20 victory over the Lady Hawks.
Pleasant Grove started fast in the opening set, racing out to a 12-6 lead to force a timeout. Wills Point would recover from there, gradually pulling themselves back into match before edging the Lady Hawks 25-23.
Pleasant Grove put together a more consistent effort in the second, running off a string of five consecutive points in the middle of the set en route to a 25-19 set win.
Wills Point bounced back from the misstep in impressive fashion, keeping the Lady Hawks at a distance throughout the third set. The Lady Tigers would win the frame 25-20, taking a two sets to one lead on their counterparts.
Wills Point wrapped up the win and an Area championship by taking the fourth set 25-20 punching their ticket to the Regional Quarterfinal round in the process.
Wills Point returned to the court Nov. 6, traveling to Royse City to take on a Community Braves team that defeated the Lady Tigers in five-sets earlier this season.
Questionable officiating would be a theme of the match as both Wills Point and Community coaches, players and fans expressed displeasure at missed calls throughout the night.
Community would ultimately prevail, surviving a furious Wills Point rally in the first set on their way to a 26-24, 25-7, 25-16 win.
The Lady Braves now advance to the Regional Semifinal round for a matchup against District 11-4A champions Melissa.
The Lady Tigers finish the 2018 season with a 30-13 record overall, including a second place finish in a highly competitive district, a bi-district round title and an Area round title. Players appearing for the final time in a Lady Tiger volleyball uniform included Jeslyn Martinez, Olivia McMath, Dawn Smith, Melanie Sullivan and Hope Turner.
