DOWNS, BEARCATS DIG WAY INTO SEMIFINALS, REGIONAL BERTH

In a match befitting of a four versus five seed the Bearcat volleyball team punched its ticket for next week’s regional tournament with a grueling 25-22 25-18 22-25 27-25 win over Dover Tuesday night.

Two time all state libero Lilly Downs accumulated 60 digs through the four set match against the Pirates, who had beaten the Bearcats in a five set match in September.

Back row play also featured 26 digs by Emily Wooldridge, 19 by Ellie Smith, and another 12 by Rylee Haller.

Up front, the Bearcats welcomed the return of junior Presley Walker and she had one of her five blocks in the first set for a 10-8 lead.

Dover would three times lead by one until a break sent Kaylee Ray to the service line.

Ray had an ace to tie it at 14 then had another to make it 18-14 to induce a time out. The Bearcats scored out of the break and led the rest of the way, though Dover closed within two before kills by Ray and Myers closed it out.

Myers had six blocks on the night.

Vanessa O’Neal had a kill and Smith had an ace for consecutive points and a 10-4 lead in the second set before Ray was on serve while the lead grew to 15-5.

Smith, who had 11 kills scored consecutive points to keep a healthy lead at 18-10 but Dover closed to within 19-15 before Smith had another kill.

A Myers block and kill by Ray closed out the 25-18 set.

The third set was tied at 3 and 4 before Dover opened a 9-4 lead leading to a Bearcat time out.

The Bearcats cut it to 12-8 only to have Dover surge back to 16-11.

The Bearcats eventually drew even at 17 on a Farrah Stringer ace and again at 18 after a brilliant dig by Downs (shown).

A kill by O’Neal, one of her 10, allowed the Bearcats to take a brief lead at 22-21 before Dover closed it with four straight points.

The fourth set began with Dover taking control briefly and the Bearcats eventually opening a 12-7 edge on an O’Neal kill and 13-8 on one by Lyddia Franklin.

Dover would then take a 15-14 lead, interrupted by a point from Franklin and the match as tied again at 16 on a point by Smith.

It was tied again at 18 and 19 before Dover scored twice looking to force a fifth set.

Kills from O’Neal and Smith tied it again at 22 and it was tied yet again at 24 before the Bearcats finally put it away 27-25.

The win earns a semifinal match with Paris at 5 p.m. today and a fourth match of the week on Thursday.