Encore performance: Lady Tribe repeats as Bootheel Conference Tournament champs

Staff photo by Mike Buhler
Members of the Kennett Lady Indians varsity volleyball team (from left: Jamie Jarrett, Ciara Dewrock, Taylor Wake and Jody Vancil) celebrate their two-set win over South Pemiscot in the championship game of the Bootheel Conference Tournament Thursday night at Portageville. It was Kennett's second straight conference tourney title.

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In Ort's three years as Kennett's head volleyball coach, that saying hasn't been more true than it was Thursday night as the Lady Tribe battled to take a 25-19, 28-26 win over the South Pemiscot Lady Bulldogs in the finals of the Bootheel Conference Tournament, Kennett's second straight conference tourney title.

"It feels pretty good to be able to come in here and be able to win it back to back," Ort said. "We've got great kids out there. They work hard. They came in here and they had to battle for every point against South Pem. I've got to give them a lot of credit because they sure didn't make anything easy. They're a good ballteam."

Staff photo by Mike Buhler
Members of the Kennett Lady Indians junior varsity volleyball team celebrate their three-set win over South Pemiscot in the championship game of the Bootheel Conference Tournament Thursday evening at Portageville.

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"We've been so pumped up all week ... " Kennett senior Jody Vancil said. "I'm just so happy that we finally won."

In the varsity final, the Lady Bulldogs and Kennett battled almost wire-to-wire.

After the Lady Tribe (17-7-4) won the first game, South Pem raced out to an 11-3 lead in the second set and never trailed until almost the very end.

With the Lady Bulldogs up 26-25 and a point away from forcing a deciding third set, Kennett's Ciara Dewrock got a big block on Shelby Booker, tying the score and finally tipping the momentum. Two points later, Dewrock served an ace to seal the title for the Lady Indians.

"Ciara had the ace to win the game, but she also got a big block on the Booker kid to kind of turn the momentum," said Ort. "They had the momentum all of the second game and they had the momentum even when it was tied 24-24 -- I still kind of felt like they had the momentum. But when Ciara was able to get that block, I felt like it kind of turned our way."

Said Vancil: "Ciara's just played so good all year. I'm just glad she got to shine (at the) last moment."

In the opening set, the Lady Tribe took a 19-8 lead on Audrey Wynne's kill, but South Pemiscot battled back to make it a 22-19 game before Kennett closed it out.

In the second set, the Lady Indians came within a point of tying it several times, only to see South Pem get a key point to stop a run.

However, Taylor Wake got a kill to even the score at 23-all -- the first tie since 1-1 -- and from there it was back and forth until Dewrock's block.

"The girls didn't want to lose. That was the bottom line," Ort said. "They just decided that they were coming in here -- they had their mind made up and they knew what their goal was. They came in and they were relentless."

Wynne led Kennett with 12 kills on the night, while Dewrock added six kills, five aces and six digs. Taylor Wake added three kills and four digs, while Chrisie Burrow dished off 18 assists.

"Audrey's a great player," said Wake. "She's only a sophomore so she's only going to get better."

Ort was also pleased with her entire squad after the big victory.

"They all stepped up," Ort said. "They played behind each other. It was a great team win. It was fun to watch and it was fun to be a part of."

In the jayvee final, Mackenzie Carr finished with nine kills and Morgan Pickens added seven as the Lady Tribe were 2-for-2 in the title department Thursday. Jade Caldwell dished off 15 assists and added five aces, while Tiffany Washington added four kills and three aces.