Vanguard volleyball advances to 5A-5 District Final, faces Lecanto on Thursday

Vanguard’s Ruby Owen (34) spikes the ball past Citrus’ Cassidy Bacon (10) during a semi final district volleyball match at Vanguard High School in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Vanguard won the match 3 sets to 0. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

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Posted October 19, 2021 | By James Blevins
james@ocalagazette.com

The No.1 seed Vanguard Knights girls’ volleyball team defeated a scrappy No. 4 seed Citrus Hurricanes Tuesday night in a 5A-5 District Semifinal match at Vanguard High School.

The defending district champion Knights beat the ‘Canes in three-straight sets on Oct. 19—25-12, 25-8 and 26-16—advancing to the tournament championship game for the second year in a row.

“The whole season this is what you’re getting ready for. Games like this,” said Vanguard head coach Luis Perez. “And they did an amazing job tonight. [Citrus] was competitive. They fought us all the way. But we fought back.”

Both teams battled during the first set. Just when one team thought it had a handle on the other, the team behind in points would find a way to climb back into the contest.

Tied at seven points apiece, Vanguard’s Ruby Owen helped give her Knights team a three-point lead from the service line (two aces), only for Citrus’ Taylor Waller to answer on the next possession with two points from her service line (she helped force two Vanguard errors), making it 10-9.

Not until Sophie Reed took over service did the Knights seem to take over the first set. Reed went on a five-point service streak, stretching Vanguard’s lead to eight points.

From there it was Sarah Beville’s ball, serving to finish the set in the Knights’ favor, 25-12.

Set two was something of a mirror image of the first: both teams trading points early. Then Vanguard’s Maddie Jacobs had her say. From the service line, Jacobs (three aces during the series) quickly helped put her team up 13-5 in short order.

Teammates Owen, Taylor Cody, Reed and Beville, respectively, would trade turns at the service line for the rest of the set, putting Vanguard firmly in control, finishing the frame 25-8.

Vanguard would blaze out of the gates of the third set as well, going up 7-3 early. But Citrus would find its groove and counter.

Behind Hailey Bescher’s service, the ‘Canes climbed back into the set, tying things up at eight points.

Vanguard would pull slightly ahead, 13-11, before Owen would once again help to take the set out of the ‘Canes’ reach.

Owen would lead her team on a seven-point service streak, giving the Knights the 21-12 advantage they needed to punch their ticket to the final.

Bescher and company would push back against Vanguard’s lead a bit before the final buzzer, but ultimately couldn’t make up the difference and force a fourth set.

The Knights finished the final frame 25-16.

Vanguard will next face the No. 2 seed Lecanto Panthers in the 5A-5 District Final on Thursday, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m.

Perez’s Knights haven’t seen Lecanto all season, except to watch them defeat No. 3 Belleview earlier on Tuesday, 3-1.

“[Lecanto] is going to put up a fight, just like they did today against Belleview,” said Perez. “That’s what you’re here for. If you win here, you keep on going towards state. This is what counts. You’ve got to give it your all here.”