Edwardsville defeats Neuqua Valley 2-1 to secure place in state tournament – High School Volleyball
Edwardsville boys volleyball team won a match against Neuqua Valley on Tuesday in which the Tigers were able to hand out a 2-1 defeat. The win has earned the Tigers the distinction of being the the first ever team from Southern Illinois to take part in the
state tournament.
The Tigers ensured their spot in the tournament after an intense struggle that is reflected by the following final set scores: 19-25, 29-27 and 25-21.
Coach Andy Bersett of the Tigers was all praise for his team and he commented at the end of the match, "We have a special group of kids. We knew the athletes we had. I tell you what, these kids have earned everything they've gotten. They're not here today
if they don't dedicate themselves the way they did. I couldn't be happier for the guys."
Despite the fact that they lost the match, the Wildcats played the first set with impressive skill. They were able to keep the Tigers at bay for the most part of the game and eventually became successful in taking the lead at 21-12. However, the Tigers were
able to close in the gap and bring their side of the scoreboard up. When there was finally a chance for the Tigers to take control, a service error shifted the scales towards the Wildcats who wasted no time in bagging the opening set at 25-19.
Having lost the first set of the game did not sit well with the Tigers and they started off the second set with renewed determination. Edwardsville was able to assert their dominance early on by taking the lead at 10-4. However, the Wildcats were not about
to give up without a fight and charged ahead to bring the match to a tie at 14-14. As the set reached its final staged the competition grew more intense with the match still tied at 22-22. However, the Tigers were the ones to secure a victory at 29-27.
The momentum built by winning the second set of the game took them all the way to a third and final set victory at 25-21.
The Tigers are headed towards the quarterfinals on Friday with a total of 26 wins under their belt while registering no losses yet. However, the Tigers have reached a tie position once in their season. Edwardsville will be determined to improve their number
of wins by defeating Vernon Hills and moving on to the semi-final round. The venue for the upcoming match of the Tigers is Hoffman Estates High School.
While the season of the Tigers is still progressing, the ousted Wildcats close it off with a total of 31 wins that have been secured at the cost of incurring seven defeats.
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