Rick Patrick
rick@greenepublishing.com
The Madison County High School (MCHS) Cowgirls wrapped up their roller coaster regular season on the volleyball court on Wednesday, Oct. 13, with a dramatic, home-court victory over the Lady Raiders of Rickards High School, from Tallahassee.
The evening began with a junior varsity match between the two schools. The junior varsity Cowgirls dominated the Lady Raiders in the first set, taking the set 25-10. The second set proved to be more of a challenge for the Cowgirls, but the Cowgirls managed to take the set, 28-26; winning the match, 2-0.
The varsity match began with the Lady Raiders in control, taking the first set, 18-25. The Cowgirls bounced back in the second set, winning the set in a convincing manner, 25-15. In the third set, the Cowgirls had to battle from behind to force extra points at the end of the set. In high school volleyball, each set of a match is played to 25 points. However, a team must win by at least two points in order to take a set. (The match consists of the best of five sets. If a fifth set is needed in order to determine a winner of the match, the fifth set is played to 15 points, with the same two-point margin of victory rule in effect.) In that crucial third set, the Lady Raiders finished on top, 29-31. The fourth set was dominated by the Cowgirls, who won the set, 25-12. Early in the fifth and final set, it looked as if the Lady Raiders would easily take the set. Again, the Cowgirls fought back, finally taking the set, 19-17, to win the match 3-2.
The Cowgirls finished the regular season with a 5-12 record, heading into the district tournament, in Cottondale, Fla. The Cowgirls were the number three seed in the single-elimination tournament. They faced the host Cottondale High School Lady Hornets in their first round. The Cowgirls were defeated in three straight sets: 16-25, 19-25 and 17-25.