CFS advances to semi-finals with 3-1 win over Tilghman

Selected 2018 First Region Player of the Year, Christian Fellowship’s Abigail Cima helped lead the Lady Eagles to a 3-1 win over Paducah Tilghman and they advance to play Graves County in Wednesday’s semi-final game.

Christian Fellowship played Paducah Tilghman in their first game of the 2018 season and again in their final home game of the regular season, losing 3-1 in both games…but Tuesday it was the Lady Eagles night…winning 3-1 (18-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-19) in the First Region Tournament quarter-final. CFS will play Graves County in Thursday’s semi-finals after they defeated Carlisle County 3-0 (25-5, 25-11, 25-6).

CFS fell behind in the first set 11-3, trailing by as many as 10 points before closing to within eight at 21-13. A couple of points off kills by Tilghman’s Megan Davis led the way to their 25-18 first set win.

Emma Fletcher gets a hit past Tilghman blocker Natalie Lansden (2) in the second set.

The Lady Eagles jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second set, in part on two straight kills by First Region Player of the Year Abigail Cima. Tilghman pulled to within two points at 9-7 but CFS stretched it back out to as many as eight at 17-9. Tilghman pulled the CFS lead back one point at 19-18 following three straight kills by Davis. An ace by Cima, a couple of net balls by Tilghman and the CFS lead was 23-19 and they held on to win set two 25-22 to tie the match at one game each.

With a 12-8 lead in the third set, back to back serves in the net for the Lady Eagles cut their lead down to two points before Tilghman tied the game up at 13 each on another kill by Davis. Tied again at 14, CFS scored five straight points and held onto the lead to close out the win in set three 25-19 for a 2-1 lead.

Another tight battle in set four was highlighted by great play at the net by Cima, Emma Fletcher and Maggie Wagner answered by Tilghman’s Davis and at the midway point, the two teams were tied 10-10 with Tilghman taking their first lead of the set at 11-10. Three straight kills by Davis put the Lady Tornados up by four and they hung on to the lead until CFS tied it up at 16 and again at 18 before a kill by Cima gave them a 20-18 lead and they held Tilghman to just one more point to take set four 25-19 and the 3-1 win to advance to the semi-finals.

Tilghman finishes the season 20-11, the most wins for the program since 2011. Head Coach Carl Eligio in his fifth season has taken the Lady Tornados from 5-15 five years ago to this year’s 20 win season.

Leading the Lady Eagles, Cima had 16 kills, three blocks and two aces. Fletcher had eight kills and two aces along with seven kills by Wagner who also had three blocks and an ace. Emma Alexander led in assists with 28, had two aces and a block and five aces were served up by Cameron Slayden. Lexi Hovekamp had seven blocks at the net and three kills.

McCracken County and Ballard Memorial will play in Wednesday’s first semi-final at 6:00 followed by CFS and Graves County.

Emma Alexander sets the ball up for one of the CFS hitters in their 3-1 region tournament win over Paducah Tilghman.