Two local teams play in state volleyball Elite Eight. One advances to Final Four.
Two local teams played Saturday in the Georgia Class AAAA state volleyball Elite Eight. One advanced to the Final Four.
The host Columbus Blue Devils swept Northwest Whitfield 25-14, 25-20 and 25-10. The visiting Northside Patriots were swept at St. Pius X 25-17, 25-18 and 25-18.
Columbus reached its 10th Final Four in Donna Fleming’s 16 seasons coaching the Blue Devils. The last appearance was 2016, losing at Blessed Trinity. This time, the Blue Devils won a coin toss and get to play defending state champion Marist at home Tuesday, starting at 6 p.m.
“We’re super excited,” Fleming said. “The girls have been working super hard since June 1 to achieve their goal, practicing and working and pushing themselves.”
The Blue Devils have reached the state championship match six times and have won state three titles under Fleming.
Although the Blue Devils have swept all three of their state tournament matches this year, this was their toughest test. And the toughest moment came when Columbus led the second set by only 21-18.
After a timeout, junior outside hitter Savannah Ogle delivered a kill and two aces to spark the Blue Devils as they controlled the match the rest of the way.
Fleming praised how Ogle responded.
“She really stepped up,” Fleming said. “We were able to push the accelerator and make the plays we needed to make.”
“It was good that my teammates can rely on me,” Ogle said.
“Northwest Whitfield came in and really competed with us,” Fleming said. “They killed balls and dug balls. We really had to fight for our points.”
Leading the Blue Devils were senior middle blocker Tierra White (13 kills, 1 ace, 1 block), Ogle (12 kills, 5 aces) and junior setter Ashley Cox (32 assists, 5 kills, 1 ace).
Columbus lost to Marist last year, Ogle noted, but she added, “As long as we keep playing our game, we will be fine.”
That game, Ogle said, is defined as “just staying focused on one point and not letting the errors build up.”
Mark Rice, 706-576-6272, @MarkRiceLE.
This story was originally published October 27, 2018 at 4:20 PM.