DRAFFENVILLE – It was a classic battle between county volleyball rivals Marshall and Christian Fellowship with long sustained rallies, kills, blocks, plenty of hustle and a loud boisterous crowd.
The match went the full five games before the Christian Fellowship Lady Eagles won the 4th District Championship at CFS over the Lady Marshals 3-2. The title is the first for the Lady Eagles since the 2011 season.
The Lady Marshals came out on fire in the first game, going up 4-0 in part by great play from outside hitters Sydney Nelson and Ragan Harris, before the Lady Eagles got on the board.
Marshall County stretched their lead out to 6-1, then 9-2 before CFS Head Coach Suzie Burnett called a time-out for her team to re-group. CFS climbed back into the game pulling to 15-11 but that was as close as they would get with the Lady Marshals getting the first game win 25-17.
In game two it was the Lady Eagles turn to take an early 5-0 lead before the Lady Marshals scored their first point on a back row hit by Hannah Langhi for the point. Two more kills by Langhi and one from Nelson pulled the Lady Marshals back to within two trailing 9-7.
Great plays at the net by Langhi helped to propel the Lady Marshals into the lead at 15-14, holding onto the lead throughout the rest of the game to win 25-19 and take a 2-0 lead in the match.
What the Lady Marshals did in the first two games, CFS imitated in the second two games taking game three 25-15. The game was tight until leading 8-7, CFS began to pull away in a game highlighted by long rallies and great net play by Lady Eagles Emily Nelson, Abigail Cima and Rebekah Muller and Lady Marshals Langhi, Nelson and Paige Henson.
The fourth game opened on a kill by Langhi with three straight service point from Nelson to lead 3-0 before CFS got back in it behind Emily Nelson’s play to tie the game at 5-5. CFS took a 13-7 lead as mistakes plagued the Lady Marshals, going on to take the fourth game 25-17 and tie the match 2-2.
The tie-breaking fifth game was dominated by a focused CFS team and a focused Nelson who was at the net connecting on kills and blocks to help lead the Lady Eagles to a 15-10 win and 4th District title.
Coach Burnett said of the Lady Eagles come-back from two games down, “I’m always telling the girls to never give up.” Advice that Lady Marshals Head Coach Dan Langhi said he admires in the CFS team.
“CFS is a really good team”, Langhi said. “They’ve always impressed me when we play them on how they always cheer each other on whether they win a point or lose a point and never get down. They came out in the third game and gained momentum and we made some mistakes and I felt like we got pushed back on our heels.”
Langhi said the Lady Marshals strength is hitting and as the game went on their passing game suffered saying, “In a passing contest, CFS will beat you every time.”
Both teams advance to next week’s 1st Region Tournament to be held at the 1st District winner Hickman County High School.
Click on game photos below to view larger image.
All- Tournament Team
Rebekah Muller, Christian Fellowship
Abigail Cima, Christian Fellowship
Emily Nelson, Christian Fellowship
Karlee Phillips, Christian Fellowship
Hannah Langhi, Marshall County
Sydney Nelson, Marshall County
Paige Henson, Marshall County
Calle Hill, Calloway County
Lily Lowe, Calloway County
Bethany Armstrong, Murray
Elysse Gandy, Murray
