Sale Creek’s Lady Panthers won their third consecutive TSSAA Region 3-A volleyball championship Monday, defeating Columbia Academy 3-0 in the final at Sale Creek. Set scores were 25-11, 25-19, 25-9.
Sale Creek and Columbia Academy each won its semifinal match 3-0. The Lady Panthers beat Community 25-5, 25-12, 25-14. The Lady Bulldogs defeated Marion County 25-8, 25-15, 25-8.
Both teams advance to Thursday’s state sectionals, where Sale Creek (35-12) again will play at home. The Lady Panthers will play the runner-up from Region 4, which plays its tournament today. The teams involved are East Robertson, Merrol Hyde, Watertown and host Gordonsville.
After cruising to the first-set victory in the championship match, the Lady Panthers trailed 15-14 in the second set before rallying.
“We do tend to relax just a little bit,” Sale Creek coach Debbie Hill said of her team’s response to handily winning the first set. “But I felt confident we’d pick it up.