By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City’s volleyball team can officially make its travel plans.
The Lady Tornadoes punched their state tournament ticket while also earning a spot in both the District 13A and Region 7A Tournament championship games by beating Peabody 3-1 Tuesday night at Marty Sisco Gymnasium.
The state tournament trip Oct. 20-22 in Murfreesboro will be the second in the nine-year history of the UC program – the first coming in 2017.
Union City is assured of that feat this year due to Memphis schools not fielding teams because of COVID-19 and thus not competing in the postseason.
The Purple and Gold will now first face Halls Monday at 6 p.m. at UCHS for the district postseason championship before then playing the Lady Tigers again, Oct. 15, for the regional crown. Monday’s winner will host the region title tilt.
UC (15-3) won the final two hard-fought games (25-21, 25-23) of Monday’s district semi against Peabody after splitting the first two (25-14, 18-25).
Head coach Jodi Powell was understandably proud of her troops afterward.
“These girls have played together since their freshman season and they’ve really upped their communication and trust of one another to accomplish this,” she said. “They all know their roles and they hustled all over the floor with great desire to make this happen.
“I’m so proud of them.”
Samantha George opened the match by winning six consecutive service points to help Union City cruise to a first-set win.
After Peabody evened the match by taking Game 2, the Lady Tornadoes came up clutch at crunch time in each of the next two games.
UC ran off seven straight points in Game 3 to break a deadlock and go up 2-1 and then scored the final four points of Game 4 to rally from behind and win the clincher on the second of two consecutive Marlee Johnson aces.
Johnson ended up with 30 service points total for the match. George finished with 20 and Abby Suiter registered 16.
Johnson was also credited with 34 attacks, while teammate Kaigan Davis added 27. Suiter shined with 25 attacks and 18 blocks, while George posted an eye-popping 59 assists.
Annie Wade, Sara Ullrich and Chloe Pritchard led a hustling defensive effort by the winners.
Union City will look to avenge a pair of regular season losses to Halls in Monday’s district title matchup. The Lady Tigers secured their fourth consecutive state tournament trip by beating Westview 3-1 in Monday’s first semifinal.
HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY
Lady Tornado duo earns medals
Bailey Wagoner (3rd place) and Kaitlyn Lamb (13th) both medaled for the Union City girls in the Best of the West, hosted by Obion County Central. Wagoner posted a time of 23:49, while Lamb came in at 25:15.
Also finishing for the Twister girls were Lizzy Jones, 33rd, 27:17; Chloe Meade, 53rd, 29:43; and Jorge Frankum, 74th, 32:31.
UC finished with a team score of 186.
With several of the top Tornado boys’ runners not participating while looking ahead to the postseason, Colby Butler was the best Union City finisher at 38th place. Butler ran a 21:30 at the Wynridge Greens course.
Cameron McLendon was 57th (23:08), Brendan Meade 61st (23:48), Maddox Dunn 73rd (25:45) and Will Ragsdale 76th (26:46).
The Twisters’ point score was 305 as a unit.
Union City will next see action Oct. 20 at Martin.