The Community Viqueens overcame an early deficit by winning three straight sets to complete the season series sweep of the Cascade Lady Champions in the season’s final “Battle of Bedford” in the District 8-AA Semifinal, 3-1, on Tuesday night in Unionville.

The upset-minded Lady Champs came in under head coach Megan O’Rourke having won just two sets against Community in District play this season, but none of that mattered when the first serve was tossed to get the final day of the District 8-AA Tournament started. After falling behind early, outside hitters Matalee Keele and Laina Carter started to find some rhythm to help lead an early comeback to take the first set, 25-21, after middle hitters Sydney Neal and Kaylee Stafford blocked a Community return at the net to give Cascade the early 1-0 advantage.

The second set was tightly contested early on before the Lady Champs began to find a little bit of momentum thanks to Keele and Carter finding their groove. The visitors' lead never grew larger than three points, but they did take a 13-10 lead, putting pressure on the Viqueens. 

Community responded with a 8-3 run of their own to take the lead at 18-16, but Cascade would not go down lightly, going on a 7-4 run of their own to take a 23-22 lead and go on the verge of taking a commanding 2-0 lead, forcing the Viqueens to use a timeout to reset.

Matalee Keele (9) goes up for a kill in her final game for Cascade on Tuesday.

Reset is exactly what Community did as they dug deep and managed to score the final three points of the set and even things up at 1-1.

“I just think we started off nervous and scared, but then I think they just realized that this could be their last game so they really stepped it up in the second set,” Community Head Coach Tiffany Klages said postgame. We showed up in the last three sets, especially that fourth set.”

With the jitters calmed on their home court after a gritty display of mental fortitude, the game moved to the all-important third set. The two rivals traded points back-and-forth until the Viqueens went on a 5-1 run to take the largest lead of the night so far at 15-10, prompting a timeout from the visitors’ sideline. 

Cascade scored three consecutive points out of the timeout, but the closest they could cut into the Viqueens’ lead was at 18-17. The Lady Champs were never able to get over the hump and retake a lead in the third set with Community keeping them at arms’ length, closing on an impressive 7-2 run to take the third set, 25-19, and go up 2-1.

With all the momentum on the hosts’ sideline, the fourth and final set was merely a formality. The Viqueens jumped out to an 8-2 lead almost immediately. Cascade finally settled down enough to score three consecutive points, but they were unable to hold down Community for very long as they extended their lead out to 13-5 after a 5-0 spurt of their own. 

That run would end up being a 12-2 run in total as the Viqueens took a commanding 20-7 lead before the Lady Champs’ mounted one final charge. Keele, a senior playing her final game, got things started with a powerful kill into the far corner from the left side, prompting an 8-1 run to cut the lead to 21-15, but that would be as close as Cascade would get. Community closed things out with a 4-3 spurt to take the fourth and final set, 25-18, and punch their ticket into the Region 4-AA Tournament. 

“Going back to the Region Tournament feels good, it’s kind of like a repeat of last year when we beat Cascade in the District Semis and then played Central Magnet in the Championship,” said Klages. “We are just so thankful to be here because we’ve worked so hard this season, so I’m just really proud of this team and glad they get to keep playing.”

In the district championship game, the Viqueens fell 3-1 to the Murfreesboro Central Magnet Tigers to finish second place District 8-AA.

The Cascade Lady Champions’ season comes to a close.

The Community Viqueens improved to 18-8 (8-2) and will go on the road for the Region 4-AA semifinals with their opponent to be announced at a later date.