Back-to-back: Dalton battles out of losers' bracket for second straight region volleyball crown
Oct. 9—A loss to Cartersville High School in the semifinals of the Region 7-5A volleyball tournament on Saturday put the Lady Catamounts on the brink of missing out on a second straight region title and a home playoff game.
Dalton responded.
The Lady Catamounts won three straight matches, including defeating Cartersville twice in the finals, to rise out of the losers' bracket and earn the Region 7-5A crown on Saturday.
Dalton, which finished undefeated in the region during the regular season and earned the right to host the region tournament, dispatched Woodland 2-0 on Thursday to earn a spot in the state playoffs and in the region semis Saturday morning.
Cartersville shocked the Lady Cats in 2-0 Dalton to start the day Saturday, winning 25-19 and 26-24 to send Dalton into the losers' bracket in the double-elimination tournament. It was the first loss for Dalton since a Sept. 19 loss to East Hamilton.
Dalton bounced back to knock off Calhoun 2-0 (25-14, 25-21) and punch their ticket back to the tournament finals.
The Lady Catamounts had to beat Cartersville twice in a row to get the win, and that's exactly what Dalton did, without even giving up a set.
Dalton won 25-23 and 25-15 to hand Cartersville its first loss in the tournament and set up a winner-take-all final.
Dalton thundered past Cartersville 25-10 in the first set, then won 25-22 to capture the crown.
At the tourney, Dalton's Gracie Ridley was named Region 7-5A player of the year, while head coach Serena Turner was named the coach of the year. Turner took over the Lady Cats prior to last season and guided them to the region crown in both her years on the job so far.
Ava Davey and Jexikella Palma were named first team all-region, while Hannah Ortiz earned a second team nod.
Dalton will host the first round of the Class 5A state playoffs on Oct. 18 against the fourth-place team from Region 6-5A. That region tournament will be held later this week.
Also in volleyball region tournament action from Saturday:
Christian Heritage earns third seed for playoffs, Dalton Academy ends season
Christian Heritage reached the semifinals of the Area 7-A tournament Saturday before falling to eventual area champion Armuchee. The Lady Lions knocked off Darlington in the third place match to earn the third seed in the area for the Class A state playoffs.
Meanwhile, Dalton Academy was eliminated from the Area 7-A tourney, ending the season for the Lady Pumas.
In the area quarterfinals, Christian Heritage battled Dade County in a 3-1 win that secured a playoff spot and a matchup with Armuchee in the area semifinals. Christian Heritage beat Dade by identical scores of 25-21 in the first two sets before falling in a squeaker, 26-24, in the third. The Lady Lions bounced back to finish off the match 25-19.
Against champion Armuchee, Christian Heritage dropped 3-0, losing 25-13, 27-25 and 25-16.
The Lady Lions dispatched Darlington in three sets, 26-24, 25-16 and 25-9, to earn the third seed.
At the tournament, Christian Heritage's Mia Hill and Victoria Smith were named to the all-area first team, while Taylor Hare was named to the second team.
Hill, who finished with 75 assists and 28 digs on the day, totaled her 1,000th career assist. Carly Bramlett had 28 kills, while Smith had 50 digs. Hare had 19 kills, and Kristen Michmerhuizen matched with 19 kills and tallied 11 blocks. Riley Geil had 34 digs.
Christian Heritage will play on the road in the first round of the Class A playoffs on Oct. 18.
