It was a perfect night for playoff volleyball. It was a Thursday night, so no one was wondering if they were gonna have enough time to get to the varsity football game. It was in the bright, spacious new Bells High School gym. And it was two premier Class 2A programs colliding, Gunter and Pottsboro, for all the marbles.
The Gunter Lady Tigers are a talented young team that has cut a wide swath through the competition all year, but Pottsboro was a final four team in 2008, and the Lady Cardinals proved they weren't ready to get knocked off their perch.
Gunter took a 2-0 lead in the opener on a solid block by junior middle blocker Joey Bailey and a kill from the back row by Erica Young.
Pottsboro got on the board with a kill by Kalie Slate and a tough serve by Makenzie Starr got away from the Lady Tigers to tie the game. Pottsboro junior setter Katie Wilson did an excellent job all night of putting the ball where the Lady Card hitters could put it away and Pottsboro moved into the lead when Wilson set senior middle blocker Courtni Bauer for a kill.
The Lady Cards doubled up on Gunter 6-3, but the Lady Tigers trimmed the lead down to 6-5 behind the outstanding play of Bailey in the middle. Bauer came back with a kill to make it a two-point game. Wilson raced to get under a dig and somehow managed to send the ball into a gap in the Gunter defense. An ace by Bauer stretched the lead to 9-5.
Gunter reeled off four points to pull even at 9-9, but three Pottsboro seniors answered the challenge. Jessica Girard jolted the Lady Cards into the lead with three kills, along with a powerful block by Ashley Thomas and a kill by Kalie Slate.
Bauer banged down four kills to push the Pottsboro lead to 18-12. The Lady Cards got big blocks from sophomore Megan Whitefield and Thomas before Bauer collected two more kills and Pottsboro took game one, 25-17.
Bauer had eight kills in the opener and she knocked down a pair of kills to start the second game. Bailey answered with three kills for Gunter as the Lady Tigers took the lead. Lindsey Beaty and Bailey chalked up kills for Gunter as the Lady Tigers went up, 8-5.
Pottsboro came battling back with Whitefield hammering down a kill and Bauer slipping a pair of aces through the Gunter defense to tie the game. Gunter edged back in front, 9-8, but a kill by Girard erased the lead.
Bailey had an impressive block and a pair of kills as Gunter began distancing Pottsboro. The Lady Tigers took an 18-14 lead after sophomore Harlee Johnson came through with a kill and an ace.
Pottsboro began reeling in Gunter after an ace by Wilson and a kill by Bauer. Johnson got another kill for the Lady Tigers, but the momentum had shifted.
Girard racked up three kills from the corner as Pottsboro pulled even at 20-20. Gunter went up 21-20. Pottsboro tied the game on a timely block by Thomas. Johnson and Meghan Mazerolle each had kills for Gunter, but the Lady Cards still managed to stay in front, 24-23.
The next point could have tied the game and the ball came floating over the net. Pottsboro's Kalie Slate slammed it down for a kill and the Lady Cards had a 2-0 lead in the match.
Game three was even closer.
The two teams battled point-for-point in the early action before Pottsboro took a three-point lead, 14-11. Gunter rallied to tie the game, 17-17. With a sense of urgency, Gunter worked their way in front, 24-22.
Pottsboro answered with two kills by Girard to leave the teams all knotted up at 24-24. Another kill by Girard gave Pottsboro the lead. Gunter had trouble returning the next hit and Pottsboro put a 26-24 win in the books.
Although this was a tough loss for Gunter, don't be surprised if this team is back stronger than ever next season.
Pottsboro will advance to face Melissa in the Region II-2A Quarterfinals.
Courtni Bauer led the Lady Cards with 16 kills and teammate Jessica Girard also had a double-digit outing with 10 kills.
Joey Bailey paced the Gunter attack with 14 kills.
