The Loogootee Lions wore their hearts on their sleeves while tied at two sets apiece going into the fifth, but once the Lions were close to winning their third straight Sectionals Championship, no one besides the Lady Lions and their head coach knew their true destiny.
Just as the match shifted from being tied at 14-14 to 15-14 in favor of the Lions, the girls almost celebrated too early. They were about to jump off their stools to hug their teammates and rejoice in becoming Sectional Champions for the third year in a row. After the final rally of the fifth set, and their celebrations had passed, all the hard work—practices, sacrifices, tears, sweat—was about to pay off.
When the moment grew too big and the last point was scored, the girls leapt out of their stools and cheered with those they loved.
The Lions defeated the underdog Shoals Jug Rox high school volleyball team in five competitive sets. Shoals started strong, leading 2-0, creating a potential straight-set victory or a historic win. But the Lions had other plans.
But through key rallies in the third set, Loogootee began to fight back thanks to points from Lydia Hawkins and senior Macy Knepp. Her teammate’s words weren’t false. At that moment, Allen Williams acknowledged on the radio how overwhelmed Shoals felt as the pressure mounted.
He said, “Shoals is probably asking what the H is going on with us,” as Loogootee rallied to win the third set 2-1. Although the girls’ record wasn’t the best, they celebrated all week with their teammates.
These three nights in Sectional 62, against Vincennes Rivet and Medora High Schools, finally made it seem like the Lions were “Rhyming Without Reason,” and they capitalized on every opportunity after trailing 2-0, storming back late in the third and fourth sets to ultimately win the match. S
Staying pretty and pink, in honor of those before them, Loogootee scored crucial points at key moments when Shoals was beginning to relax. That sense of anxiety overwhelmed them, but the team kept encouraging each other with positive words,” senior outside hitter Macy Knepp said afterward, reflecting on their pressure inside and outside the net during the victory over Shoals.
The Lions will next compete at the IHSAA Class 1A Regional Title next week. Their opponent will be Shakamak High School at 1 p.m. EST on Saturday, Oct. 25. The second game of the afternoon will feature Barr Reeve & Tecumsah at 4 p.m. following the conclusion of the Lions/Shakamak game.