varsity.roanoke.com

Cave Spring volleyball coach Tamalyn Tanis told her players something curious this season: "None of our matches against [Hidden Valley] really matter."

Why?

Because until the state semifinals, any time the two powerful teams play each other it will be for pride and trophy case hardware, but will not end the season.

Such was the case Thursday on Hidden Valley's home floor when the River Ridge District foes played for the district tournament title. For the third time this year the victory went to the Knights, 26-24, 26-24, 14-25 and 25-22. In an odd statistic, the Titans actually scored three more points in the match, but the Knights were able to close out the three nip-and-tuck games. The final slugfest featured no fewer than 13 ties and 11 lead changes. Cave Spring led 16-13, but Hidden Valley reeled off four straight points to take the lead. Tanis called time-out and broke the momentum. Two quick points gave the Knights a lead they would not relinquish.

"I just told them to play like you want it. Our defense was standing up and we had to get low. We were not playing fast," Tanis said. "We have to play fast, talk and trust each other. We're not going to win a power game."

The Knights trusted each other in the first two games, when they took big leads but allowed the Titans to rally back to tie the games late. Each was tied at 24 when the Knights took the last two points and a 2-0 lead in the match. The setter dump was the play the Knights used over and over as Taylor Baumann opted to flick the ball over the net to a hole in the defense rather than set it to a hitter. She finished with 32 assists and nine kills. Morgan Shannon had 14 kills and six blocks, Jocelyn Kellinger had 22 digs and Lauren Sledd scored 11 kills.

Samantha Klosterman had 17 kills and 10 digs for the Titans. Samantha Ringer recorded 15 kills. Sarah Church scored 10 kills; Kim McDow had 33 digs and Lottie Meadows assisted on 38 points.

Tanis and Titans coach Carla Poff agreed on one thing: the teams would meet again. Those predictions have each advancing to the Region IV title game.

Christiansburg earned its first trip to the volleyball regionals with a four-game win over rival Blacksburg, 25-22, 23-25, 25-14, 25-21. The Blue Demons had lost twice to the Bruins in the regular season and were seeded fourth in the district, but played their best match of the year, said coach Brian Smith.

"Tonight we had no lapses," Smith said. "We can play that well, but usually we have lapses during a match. Tonight we played well all match."

Smith said he told the team before the match started they were not allowed to look at the scoreboard.

While three of the four games were very close, the deciding fourth game saw no advantage of more than four points, and there were eight ties, but the Demons would not let Blacksburg pull ahead. The Bruins led only once by a single point.

Emily Quesenberry had 19 kills for the Blue Demons. Emily Davis recorded nine kills and 32 digs while junior setter Ashton Moran had 38 assists.

Chelsea Kessner had 17 digs for the Bruins; Katy Kipps scored 12 kills and four blocks.

Christiansburg will travel to Tunstall on Monday for a first round match in the Region IV tournament.