ONTARIO, Ohio — The Lexington girls volleyball team simply refuses to let its season end.
Lady Lex pulled off its second straight upset of the Division II Ontario regional, this time downing Ottawa-Glandorf in four sets to qualify for the state volleyball Final Four.
“These kids have worked so hard for so many years, they deserve this,” Lexington coach Bobbie Weaver said. “This didn’t happen overnight. There’s a lot of kids that laid the groundwork in previous years for these girls to have this opportunity.”
Weaver’s squad topped the sixth-ranked Titans 25-16, 29-27, 21-25 and 25-14 at the O-Rena. Lexington hasn’t been to the state volleyball tournament since 1985.
Earlier this week, 14th-ranked Lady Lex shocked eighth-ranked Parma Padua in a spectacular match, shaking off two match points before winning a 25-27, 26-24, 26-24, 23-26, 17-15 seat-squirmer.
“We were tired from that thriller,” Weaver said. “On Friday we just did minimal things, we really needed the rest.
“Today we got a little tight in the third set and didn’t communicate, but we got through it.”
It was a spectacular day for Lexington athletics. While the volleyball team was shining, the boys and girls cross country teams both won state championships in Hebron.
The Lexington volleyball team will take a 24-4 record into Thursday’s 4 p.m. state semifinal match at Wright State University near Dayton. Lady Lex will battle second-ranked Chardon Notre Dame Cathedral Latin (23-3).
The Lions, reigning state champions, steamrolled Canal Fulton Northwest (19-6) 25-14, 25-12, 25-17, to win the Stow regional. Cathedral Latin knocked off Columbus Bishop Ready in four sets to win last year’s state championship.
Lexington lost to the Lions earlier this season in a two-set match at Norwalk, 25-22 and 25-17.
“That’s going to be a tremendous challenge, they’re very talented,” Weaver said. “We’re going to enjoy this tonight and celebrate, then we’ll go to work on preparing for them tomorrow.”
Ottawa-Glandorf finished its season with a 23-3 record.
