Final bound: Vanguard will play in the Region 5A-2 championship match on Nov. 6

Vanguard players celebrate after defeating Gateway during the regional semifinal at Vanguard High School in Ocala, Fla. on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. Vanguard won the match in straight sets. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

Home » News

Posted November 3, 2021 | By James Blevins
james@ocalagazette.com

The Vanguard Lady Knights cruised through its Class 5A regional semifinal against the visiting Gateway Panthers on Nov. 3 at home.

No. 2 seed Vanguard won the Region 5A-2 semifinal in three-straight sets Wednesday night, defeating No. 3 seed Gateway 25-7, 25-11 and 25-17—punching its ticket to the tournament final on Nov. 6.

The Knights will next face either the No. 1 seed Wesley Chapel or No. 4 seed Robinson. If Wesley Chapel, the match will take place on the Wildcats’ turf. If Robinson, Vanguard will host the final at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

In Nov. 3’s semifinal match, Vanguard got out to a quick lead in the first set, thanks in large part to junior Ruby Owen, who scored the Knights’ first four points with four big kills.

Junior Sophie Reed, who opened the first set behind the service line, would finish the set the same way, helping her Knights’ team earn 10-straight points—four of which were aces.

Vanguard took the first set 25-7.

Emma Ehmann had two kills to open the second set, behind Reed’s service. Ehmann would tally a total of 10 kills in the match, tied with teammate Owen for the most kills by a Lady Knight.

With Reed and Ehmann at the service line, Vanguard scored 11 of the final 14 points scored in the second set, winning it with ease 25-11.

Gateway would accumulate a total of 12 unforced errors in the set, contributing mightily to its deficiency in points in comparison to Vanguard.

Reed would add two more aces to open the third and final set, putting the Knights up 5-0 early.

The Panthers would fight back a little, getting as close as two points behind, but Reed, once again, would lead Vanguard on another points spree, earning five in a row and putting the Knights up 18-11.

From there, Owen and freshman Lilli Hart would trade some kills, helping to separate their Knights’ team from the beleaguered Panthers for good, winning the third set 25-17.

If Vanguard (12-17 overall record in 2021) wins next Saturday’s Region 5A-2 final, it will be its second such championship in a row, earning another trip to the coveted Class 5A State Final Four.

Should Vanguard win on Saturday, it will play the winner of the Region 5A-1 final between No. 1 seed Mosley and No. 2 seed Ridgeview in the Final Four semifinals scheduled for Nov. 13.

The Class 5A state final will take place on Nov. 17 at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.

The Knights lost last year in the Final Four to eventual 2020 Class 5A state champion Ponte Vedra in three-straight sets.