Lady Panthers volleyball headed to state playoffs

BLAIRSVILLE, GA – The Lady Panthers volleyball team is headed to the Class A/AA state playoffs.

After taking down Lake Oconee County 2-1 Tuesday night, Union County (12-18, 4-1 Region 8-A/AA Public) secured the second seed in the region tournament and an automatic bid in the state playoffs.

After dropping the first game of the match 19-25, the Panthers rallied to win a tight, 25-23, second game and force a final game on Senior Night.

Head coach Megan Swanson said the way the team rallied to win the second game showed just how resilient they can be.

“We just pulled through to win the second game, and that required a lot of heart,” Swanson said. “There was a lot of emotion on the line and the girls knew exactly how big the match was. With it being Senior Night, a region game, and playoff positioning on the line, the team rallied in that second game.”

Swanson said the team’s five seniors – Kaitlyn King, Kait McCarter, Adelia Pyle, Bella Rosales, and Izabella Zamora – have helped give the team what’s needed to overcome adversity.

“The seniors have done a really good job to be leaders this season. Most of them stepped into roles that they weren’t necessarily comfortable with, but they went with it with class and integrity,” Swanson said. “They set a good example for their current teammates and the ones to come along in the future. They gave it their hardest effort and you can’t ask for much more than that.”

Much like the match Tuesday, Swanson said his seniors learned how to overcome adversity throughout the season, giving them what they needed to lead the team back for a win in the second game.

Union Co. closed out the match with a 15-10 victory in the third game.

The Lady Panthers will be the No. 2 seed in the Region 8/AA Public tournament, and will host the first round Tuesday, Oct. 8.

They will play at 6 p.m. against the winner of Washington-Wilks and Oglethorpe County.