For the fifth straight year Marshall County met McCracken County in the Region One Tournament and for the fifth time, the Lady Mustangs ended the Lady Marshals season. Two years the losses came in the championship game, two first round losses and a semi-final loss. The six-time Region One Champions have yet to drop a single set to a regional opponent in their six years since their consolidation.
The Lady Marshals led 3-1 early in the first set before McCracken County tied the game at 4-4, taking the lead on a block, their first of the game. Marshall County stayed close and trailed by two at 9-7 before a 7-0 run by the Lady Mustangs stretched their lead out to 16-7, going on to win the first set 25-10, the final two points on a kill by Drew Mullinax and Mullinax volley to an open back corner.
A point on a kill by Halle Langhi kept the Lady Marshals close in set two, trailing 4-3 but the Lady Mustangs went on to score the next eight points to stretch out a 12-3 lead, going on to win 25-8.
Tied 4-4 in set three, the Lady Marshals took the lead twice at 5-4 and again at 6-5 before McCracken County scored six straight to lead 11-6.
Down by five, the Lady Marshals battled back to tie 11-11 but McCracken County began to stretch the lead out with points off kills by the trio of Mullinax, Mckenzie Mason and Hanna Rhinehart and out-scored Marshall County 14-2 to take the third set 25-13 for the 3-0 win.
The Lady Marshals finish the season 16-16.
Ballard Memorial beat Hickman County 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-14) and will play McCracken County in Wednesday’s semi-final. Christian Fellowship will play Paducah Tilghman Tuesday at 6:00 followed by Graves County and Carlisle County to decide who will meet in Wednesday’s second semi-final. The Region One Championship will be played Thursday at 6:00.
