Ozark volleyball is going back to a state championship game for the first time since 2017 after sweeping Francis Howell 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-21) in the Class 5 state semifinal round on Friday evening in Cape Girardeau.
Things looked bleak for Ozark in the first set with Francis Howell staying in control of the first frame building a six-point lead at 18-12. Ozark head coach Adeana Brewer took her second time out of the set at that point to rally her team.
The Tigers responded.
Ozark went on a 7-1 run that included three aces to tie the game at 19-19 forcing a Francis Howell timeout. Out of the timeout, senior Macy Humble put in a second consecutive ace to give Ozark its first lead at 20-19.
With the game tied a 21-21, Ozark senior Skylar Hilton went to work putting down three consecutive kills to get Ozark to match point before an ace by Ozark ended the first set 25-21 with Ozark closing on a 13-3 run.
The second set was tight early until a 5-0 run by Ozark took the score from a 9-9 tie to a 14-9 advantage forcing a Francis Howell timeout. Francis Howell cut the Ozark lead to one at 17-16, but that is as close as the Vikings would get. Hilton finished off the set with a kill to secure the 25-19 set victory and 2-0 match advantage.
In the third set, the match was back-and-forth with four lead changes through the first 24 points which left the match tied at 12-12. Hilton put down a kill for the fifth and final lead change giving Ozark a 13-12 lead.
A key sequence came with Ozark up 15-14. The Tigers gained some breathing room thanks to a Hilton kill followed by a duo block with Hilton and senior Tara Venable finished with a Venable kill to extend the Ozark lead to 18-14.
Francis Howell did not get closer than three the rest of the way. Hilton finished the set off with a block to give Ozark a 25-21 third set win and a 3-0 match victory.
Hilton led Ozark with 15 kills followed closely by Venable with 12. Reece Cook had 35 assists for Ozark. Bradie Soloman contributed 18 digs with Humble adding in 13. Ozark had nine aces in the match led by Humble and Venable with three each.
Ozark (38-3) will face two-time defending state champion Lafayette (Wildwood) (31-5) in the Class 5 state championship on Thursday at 8 p.m. in Cape Girardeau.
