After the first set in their 2nd Region quarterfinal match Monday night, it appeared as if the University Heights Academy Lady Blazers were ready to return to the regional semifinals for the third consecutive year. However, the Madisonville-North Hopkins Lady Maroons had other plans for the evening.
After dropping the first set, the Lady Maroons came back to win the next three to move on to the regional semis for the first time since 2017. The win for Madisonville was the third this season over the Lady Blazers, with two of those wins coming at Blazer Gym.
UHA jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the opening set. The Lady Maroons would cut the lead to one at 7-6. With Evelyn Morales giving the Lady Blazers a big set at the net, UHA would push the lead out to 22-15. Madisonville made a run and got as close as two points at 23-21. Kills by Morales and Julia Thomas ended the threat as UHA took the opening set 25-21.
Evelyn Morales ended the set with five kills. UHA also got solid play from Evelyn Cotthoff and Beth Peebles in the opening set.
Madisonville rebounded strong at the beginning of the second set. The Lady Maroons, behind the play of Natalie Collier, jumped out to a 9-2 lead. UHA would close to within two points at 11-9 but never could get to the lead. Leading the set 18-13, Madisonville scored six straight, and would then go on to win the set 25-14 to even things up at one set each.
Evelyn Morales had another big set for UHA, finishing the set with 8 kills. Sarah Peebles and Susie Comperry gave the Lady Blazers quality court time as well. Natalie Collier took things over at the net late in the set and finished with five kills for the Lady Maroons.
The third set turned out to be the defining moment of the match. The Lady Blazers jumped out to a 14-6 lead and appeared to be on the verge of taking their second set of the night. With UHA leading 20-14, the Lady Maroons made their move to get back in the set. Madisonville went on an 8-2 run to even things up at 22-22. After back to back kills from Morales and Thomas, UHA had two set points to take a 2-1 lead in the match. However, Madisonville got kills from Natalie Collier and Kendrea White to even things up at 24-24.
Each team had another match point, but could not convert, leaving the set tied at 26-26. Collier and Kaitlyn Orange then closed out the set with two big plays, giving Madisonville the 28-26 win in the set and a two to one lead in the match.
Evelyn Morales finished the set with 7 kills. Beth Peebles and younger sister Sarah also had big contributions for the Lady Blazers.
The momentum from taking the hard fought third set appeared to carry over for the Lady Maroons in the 4th set. The two teams went back and forth early in the set, leaving the score tied at 8-8. Again, with Natalie Collier leading the way, the Lady Maroons scored seven straight points to go up 15-8. That would be a lead they would not surrender.
With Evelyn Morales, Susie Comperry, and Evelyn Cotthoff helping to lead the charge, UHA would close to within 15-12, but they could get no closer. Madisonville would pull away late in the set to close out the match with a 25-16 win. Two service aces from Arian Gregory keyed the run for the Lady Maroons that put the match away.
Evelyn Morales had 21 kills to lead the Lady Blazers. She added 3 block assists, 7 digs, and 1 ace. Beth Peebles had 21 assists, to go along with 1 ace, 14 digs, and 1 block assist. Freshman libero Evelyn Cotthoff led in digs with 19 and posted one kill. Freshman middle hitter Julia Thomas had 6 total blocks and two kills.
With the loss, UHA finishes the season at 7-13.
Madisonville advances on to Tuesday night’s semifinals, where they will take on Webster County in the 8pm matchup. Caldwell County and Crittenden County will meet in the first semifinal at 5:30 at Christian County High School.
