By Chris Parker & Jacob Cersosimo
Miller volleyball has carried a big target on its back all season as the defending Class 1 state champion. The Lady Cardinals rose the challenge of being a defending champion all year long, so it should come as no surprise that when their backs were against the wall in the Class 1 state semifinals that they responded as champions do.
Winona, a tradition-rich program in its own right with 14 final four appearances, nine championship match appearances and five titles, jumped all over Miller to open the Class 1 state semifinals. The Wildcats never trailed in the first set on the way to a 25-20 win. In the second set, Winona trailed at 1-0 and then never again on the way to a 25-18 win in set two.
The Wildcats looked like they were well on their way to a sweep jumping out to a 7-1 lead in set three.
Miller head coach Tamra Landers called what would prove to be the most pivotal timeout of Miller’s season.
She had a simple message for her team.
“I said ‘you are the defending state champions. Play loose, have fun and lets get us another one’,” Landers said. “They have trouble believing in themselves sometimes, so rather than getting on to them, which sometimes I do, I need to really encourage them more and be sure they believe in themselves.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE MATCH
The message worked.
Miller rattled off the next four points to cut Winona’s lead to 7-5. Winona kept Miller at arm’s length leading 14-9 before the Lady Cardinals made their charge. Miller seven of eight points to gain a 16-15 advantage.
The two teams went back and forth until Miller scored the final six points of the set to win 25-20.
The fourth set was a set of runs. Winona had three separate three-point runs while Miller had two separate four-point runs. It all added up to a tied match at 25-25 before Miller put the set way 27-25 to tie the match at 2-2.
“Momentum is huge,” Landers said. “We kept telling the girls don’t give up. We will get the momentum.”
That momentum rolled into the fifth and deciding set that saw Miller build a 7-3 lead early on the way to a 15-11 set win to clinch the match.
“These girls knew what it was like to be here. They just didn’t give up,” Landers said. “Once they started playing smarter not harder, we were able to pick them apart.”
CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO OF THE MATCH
Emberlynn Kingsley led Miller with 26 kills in the match. Haylie Schnake contributed 19 kills. Lillie Ricketts handed out 48 assists. Addison Stockton led the Lady Cardinals in digs with 39.
Malawey led all hitters with 28 kills in the match. Teammate Bailee Luttrell had 20 kills. Lexi Lindsey handed out 58 assists while also leading Winona in digs with 45.
Miller (31-4-2) will face Advance (26-10) in the Class 1 state championship at 12 pm on Saturday in Cape Girardeau.
The Lady Cardinals have a singular focus entering the match: repeat.
“They just don’t give up. They want to represent the town of Miller. They want to represent themselves. They want to show that Miller is a good volleyball town. They just want to prove themselves.”
