Darren Kinnard
Section618.com
BLUFORD — The NCOE Fighting Cardinals are headed back to the 1A volleyball Supersectional thanks to a 25-21, 22-25, 25-11 win over Effingham St. Anthony in the championship match of the Webber Sectional.
After winning the opening game, NCOE had an 18-13 lead in the second, only to watch it all fall apart, much of the damage self-inflicted. St. Anthony used a 7-1 run to take the lead, then scored the final three points to take game two and force the decisive third game.
Instead of reeling from the way game two ended, NCOE came out on fire, scoring the first six points in the third and never looking back, pulling away for the 25-11 clinching win.
NCOE advances to face Trico Friday night at 6:30 in Centralia at the Christ Our Rock Lutheran Supersectional. The Lady Pioneers won the first volleyball sectional title in school history by beating Valmeyer 25-14, 21-25, 32-30 to win their own sectional and avenge their only loss of the season.
