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The Middle School volleyball team played Unity on Saturday for the 2023 TMSAA Section 3 Area 13 Championship and won in straight sets 25-19, 25-11.

The Lady ‘Cats had serve control to begin the match and won the first three points with Adalyn Nelson serving. After the short run, Unity called a timeout and won the next point. After Tullahoma took a 5-1 lead, Unity answered with a six point run. Once it got to 7-5, the Wildcats called their first timeout. They won the next point after the timeout, but Unity won back-to-back points to go up 9-6. They won two of the next three points to go up 11-7. Tullahoma strung back-to-back points together to cut the deficit to 11-9. The two teams traded points before Tullahoma went on their longest run of the set. With Nelson serving again they won eight straight points. After the seventh point Unity called their second timeout. After the timeout Tullahoma won three of the next four points going up 20-14. Unity answered with three of the following four points making it 21-17. After Tullahoma earned their 22 point, Unity scored back-to-back points again forcing the Lady Wildcats’ last timeout. The timeout worked as they won the next point and then, with Addison Merritt serving, they won the last two points to take the first set 25-19.

Tullahoma won the first point of the second set. Then Unity won the next two, before the Lady ‘Cats six point run. Kayleigh Campbell served for five of the points. Unity called a timeout when it was 6-2. Tullahoma won the first point after the timeout before Unity claimed three of the next five points to make it 9-5. The Wildcats answered with a three point run, two with Joslynn Lidstrom serving. After Unity made it 12-6, Tullahoma pulled away with a run of nine straight points. Merritt was serving for the last eight points of the run. Unity called their last timeout with the score 15-6, but it did not stop the run as Merritt and the Lady ‘Cats won the five points following the break. Then Unity scored back-to-back points making it 21-8. Tullahoma scored their 22 point, before Unity grabbed back-to-back points again. With the score 22-10 Tullahoma called their first timeout. Unity won the next point, but then the Lady Wildcats took three straight points to claim the Championship in straight sets.

To make the championship Tullahoma had to beat Highland Rim. They beat them in straight sets also, 25-15, 25-14. Going into the Championship match, the Lady ‘Cats had won their last 16 sets and their last eight matches.

They beat Community on Wed, Sep. 6, 26-24, 25-21 for their fifth straight win. Then they beat Harris 25-17, 25-18 in Shelbyville on Tue, Sep. 12. They hosted North Middle for their eight grade recognition night on Thu, Sep. 14 and beat them 25-21, 25-15.

Before the game Thursday, the team held a ceremony for the eighth graders. The members of the team that are eighth graders are: Addison Merritt, Morgan McJunkin, Anna Grace Modesitt, Kayleigh Campbell, Emily Bell, Elizebeth Floyd, Adalyn Nelson, Genia Stephens, Nshaela Brooks, Rebecca Estrada and Breelyn Potter.

The first set against North was very competitive and a back-and-forth battle. There were eight lead changes. The last came when Tullahoma took the lead back at 21-19. They won four of the next five points to win the set. After the intense set, the Lady Gators won the first four points. Then Tullahoma took over, going on an eight point run. Nelson served for seven of those points. North had to call a timeout at 8-4 to end the run. The Lady Wildcats just went on another run, this time of nine straight points to go up 17-5. Campbell served for the last eight points of the run. The Lady Gators kept fighting, winning back-to-back points twice and having three point runs twice but it was not enough to overcome the massive hole they fell in at the start of the set. The closest the set got after that was 23-15, but then the Lady ‘Cats strung back-to-back points together to win the match.

The Tullahoma Middle School Volleyball team played North again yesterday, but the results were not available at the time of print. They will travel to Warren County Tomorrow for their last regular season game.  The district tournament will begin Mon, Sep. 25 at South Middle School.