BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
In the five years since the Union County High School volleyball team finished as state runner-up, the Tigers hadn’t won a region-level playoff match.
This year, the Tigers have won two and have now advanced to the state semifinals after defeating host Aucilla Christian 3-0 to claim the Region 3-1A championship.
Union (20-7) will now travel to Okaloosa County to play the Baker Gators (21-6) on Friday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m. The Tigers are the third seed, while Baker is the second.
The other state semifinal will pit number-one seed Liberty County (26-2) against fourth seed Williston (19-10).
Union began the Region 3 playoffs with a 3-1 (25-21, 25-20, 20-25, 27-25) win over Branford (19-7) in the Oct. 28 semifinals. The Tigers, the region’s second seed, got 13 kills and 11 digs from Jaycee Davis and 21 assists, 12 digs and four service aces from Kamryn Southerland.
Jailyn Simmons recorded 11 kills and four blocks, while Jurney Crim and Bella Johns each had 10 digs. Crim also had six assists.
Jordan Hendricks had 10 assists, while Rylie Parrish and Layla Barber recorded six and five kills, respectively. Barber also had two blocks.
Indi Knox added eight digs.
The win sent the Tigers to Monticello to face the region’s number-one seed. Union recorded wins of 25-18, 25-17 and 25-22 over Aucilla Christian.
Stats weren’t available as of this posting.
Union has now won four straight and 10 of its last 12 matches.
This marks only the second year the Tigers have participated in the regional playoffs since its run to the state championship six years ago.
