Hugoton, Scott City bounced in Sub-State Volleyball Tournament

Colby, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–In the first year of Class 4A being split in half, each division saw just four teams in their respective sub-states. Saturday’s Class 4A, Division II tournament provided some thrilling sets that went down to the wire. Goodland would end up taking the final in three sets over rival Colby.

Scott City would play in the first match of the day, taking on top seed Goodland. The Cowgirls, who are ranked fifth in Class 4A, Division II, have beaten Scott City in each of the first three meetings of the season in three sets, but this one would last just two sets. Goodland would eventually pull away in both sets, despite a solid push on both sets by the Lady Beavers. The match was played much closer than what the final showed, as the Cowgirls advanced to the final with a 25-18, 25-17 win. Scott City saw their season end at 6-27, and they lose three seniors in Krissa Dearden, Bailey Nickel, and Kelly Wycoff.

The second semi-final pitted two teams that saw each other last weekend in Colby, where the Hugoton Lady Eagles surprised Colby in straight sets. Just like last weeks match, this one was tight all the way to the end of each set. Hugoton took the first set 25-23. Colby took the second set 25-22 to force a third and final set. Hugoton went up by nine points in the third set. It looked as though they were headed to the finals, but Colby would rally and in a big way in the battle of the Eagles. Hugoton would be stuck on 22, as Colby scored the final seven points of the match to win the set 25-22. Hugoton’s season would end with a 19-18 mark.

In the finals, Colby would face rival Goodland for a berth to the state tournament on the line. The Cowgirls would fight off Colby 25-22 in the first set. In the second set, the Lady Eagles had their backs up against the wall, as Goodland had match point. Colby would rally for four straight to force a third and final set with a 27-25 win. The Cowgirls would be too dominant though in the last set, pulling out to a nine point lead, and punching their ticket to state for the first time since 2010 with a 25-18 victory. 

Colby saw their season end at 19-18, while Goodland improved to 29-7. The last time the Cowgirls won state was in 2003, they won the sub-state in Colby. Goodland will play Friday afternoon at the Salina Bicentennial Center as the fourth seed against Frontenac at 4:30, Larned at 6:30 and top-seeded Burlington at 8:30.