Head coach Shelby Swanson wore shiny gold pants for the championship match, reinforcing the notion that her team was interested only in the gold medal for first place.
The Dutch, who won in four sets, played in 3A this season after playing in 4A the past two years. Holland Hall, which lost in the 4A quarters in 2020 and 2021, replaced two-time defending 3A champion Community Christian atop 3A after Community Christian moved to 4A this year.
Community Christian was unable to win a third consecutive state title, even though the Royals went into the state tournament as the top seed. Lincoln Christian, a team Community Christian defeated in four sets during the regular season, avenged that defeat to take the title in four sets and capture the fifth state championship in program history. The Bulldogs have won four of those five titles over the past five seasons.
Junior OH Paiton Tuggle was a catalyst in the win for Lincoln Christian. Francesca Rollandini’s ace serve clinched the title.
Community Christian was led by its star junior, Landry Braziel.
• The Oklahoma small-school titles were the first of what should be an exciting volleyball championship fall across the country.
Oklahoma’s large school championships are this weekend – Edmond Memorial and Jenks are the top teams in 6A. Mount St. Mary’s and Bishop McGuinness are 1-2 in 5A.
Mississippi and Tennessee also will conclude championships by week’s end.
• Tennessee’s state championships began today. Brentwood, which in 2021, had its streak of eight straight large-class state titles snapped, returned to state this year and won its first-round quarterfinal, 3-0, over West Ridge. Dylan Sulcer had 32 assists in the win and is now ninth all-time on the Tennessee career assists list with 3,001.
The Bruins will take on Collierville, a five-set quarterfinal winner over Maryville; in a winner’s bracket semifinal tomorrow in the double elimination…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Volleyballmag.com…