VENICE (SNN-TV) – The Venice Indians volleyball team welcomed the Plant Panthers to the Teepee tonight, with a trip to the state tournament on the line.
Both squads met in last year’s regional final as well, continuing a rivalry between two of the top squads in the state. In the early minutes of this one, Venice would look to get on the board quickly, receiving the serve and bump is Brighton Ferguson, leading to the set by Ashley Reynolds, only to have Summer Kohler spike it home, striking early despite dropping the first set, 25-10.
In the 2nd set now, Jayda Lanham on the receiving end of the serve, bumps it to Reynolds, setting it up to Kohler, but Plant is all over it, as its dug out by Riley Nichols, and sent back to Venice’s court, where Ferguson bumps it to Reynolds, setting it up for Kohler for the kill, but it’s blocked at the net by Kylee Roberts and Jaliyah Cohnes, but Plant would drop the second set to Venice, 25-22.
Venice would rally after dropping the third set, 25-16 to Plant; down 2-1 the Indians would take the 4th and 5th sets, 26-24, 15-9 to win the Class 7A-Region 3 championship, 3-2.
The Indians advance to the state-semis this Saturday, at 7pm with their opponent yet to be determined.