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Outstanding volleyball match between Tennessee High and Sullivan Central on Tuesday evening at Viking Hall.
Check Wednesday’s paper for the full write-up. Here’s a quick recap.
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The Vikings started off Senior Night proudly celebrating the efforts of seniors Erin Hyde, Kendra Snapp and Allie Stollings.
Then Tennessee High decided to add one more lasting memory to the trio’s scrapbook.
Down 2-1 overall, and behind 18-14 in the fourth game, the Vikings battled back to defeat Sullivan Central 25-22, 21-25, 12-25, 25-19, 15-13 in a down-to-the-wire match that left Tennessee High thrilled, and both teams completely exhausted.
How tough was the win (and the loss)?
Tennessee High (24-13, 10-5 Big Nine) coach Mary Johnson had nearly lost her voice following the match, while Sullivan Central (15-15, 8-7) coach Tracy Graybeal was ghost-like minutes after the Vikings’ Erin Hyde spiked home the match’s final point.
“I had to get out of there, that really isn’t a good place for me to be right now,” said Graybeal from the Tennessee High parking lot.
Graybeal wasn’t upset. But she’d just watched her team slowly give away an emotional loss, and … losing’s never easy – especially in a match as roller coaster-like and back-and-forth as Tuesday night’s was.
“We just lost our intensity in the fourth game,” Graybeal said. “We got tight, and when we get tight, we make mistakes.”
But in the second and third game, the Cougars played fearless.
Sullivan Central senior outside hitter Lucie Jones was especially impressive. Jones’ low, slicing serve plagued the Vikings, and Tennessee High had no response.
But Hyde, Snapp, Stollings and the rest of the Vikings weren’t about to have Senior Night ruined.
After spending the second and third game looking lost and defeated, Tennessee High heeded Johnson’s fierce words and turned it around.
The Vikings’ comeback was spurred by sophomore outside hitter Mandy Hyde, who rolled off six straight service points in the fourth game, leading Tennessee High from 13-7 down to a 13-all tie.
Erin Hyde led the Vikings with a game-high 11 kills and 11 blocks, while Stollings (19 assists, nine digs), Brooke Hatcher (12 assists, nine digs) and Mandy Hyde (11 service points, 11 digs) all had big nights for Tennessee High.
Jones led the Cougars with 10 kills and nine service aces, while Holly English contributed 10 kills, Emily Boggs had six kills and Charli Caulkins had 18 assists.