Lady Jackets bidistrict champs

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Mineola overcame a sluggish start to win Monday’s bidistrict volleyball playoff match 3-1 over Queen City.

The Lady Jackets clinched the District 13-3A title last Tuesday, beating Chapel Hill in three games to face the fourth seed out of District 14-3A.

Queen City earned that spot, beating Paul Pewitt 3-1 in a play-in match Friday.

The Lady Bulldogs looked like they meant business to open the playoff match in Hallsville, leading most of the way in the first set and winning 26-24 by taking the final two points.

It was all Mineola in the second game, as only a late Queen City rally made it 25-13.

The third game mirrored the first with Queen City keeping the lead much of the way.

This time it was Mineola getting the last two points for the critical third set win, 25-23.

With a 2-1 lead, Mineola again went on a tear to establish an insurmountable lead in the fourth game to win 25-11.

They will face the Troup-Hughes Springs winner later this week in the area playoff round. Those teams were scheduled to play Tuesday night. UPDATE: Friday at 6 p.m. at Union Grove against Hughes Springs.

Mineola trailed as much as 12-7 in the first set but fought back to tie it at 18.

Queen City pulled ahead 24-21 only to see Mineola tie it again at 24 before the Lady Bulldogs pulled it out.

Mineola stormed ahead 6-0 to start the second set and built the lead to as much as 17-5 before a run led to a Mineola time out at 21-12. The Lady Jackets won four of five points to close it out, including kills from Gracie Finley and Jocelyn Whitehead.

Queen City scored the first four points in game three, forcing a time out, with Mineola coming back for an 8-6 edge.

After a tie at 9-9, Mineola did not lead again until 24-23 on Mylee Fischer’s kill, though the set was tied at 18, 21 and 22 after Queen City led 18-15.

Another quick start by Mineola in the fourth set put Queen City in a hole it couldn’t dig out of, at 6-1. After building a 16-8 lead, Mineola went on a back-breaking 7-0 run with Shylah Kratzmeyer serving.

Senior Whitehead had several kills in the deciding game.

Coach TaShara Stephens said the ladies definitely were experiencing nerves during the opening set of the match.

The Lady Jackets had used some practice techniques to prepare for the taller Queen City front line that eventually paid off, keeping pressure on the Queen City defense.