Alvord’s postseason run ended one win shy of a state tournament berth as Alvord fell to Tioga in four sets in the 2A Division I Region II Final on Tuesday at Ponder High School, the Wise County Messenger – reported.
Tioga claimed the regional championship with a 3-1 victory by scores of 25-22, 17-25, 21-25, and 22-25, improving its record to 38-11 while dropping Alvord to 27-13. It marked the second consecutive year Tioga eliminated Alvord from the playoffs, following a sweep in the bi-district round last season.
Alvord trailed 11-6 in the opening set before Kali Williams delivered a kill and Addi Simmons served an ace to spark a rally. Alvord tied the score at 18-18 and eventually claimed a 25-22 win to take an early match lead.
Tioga responded decisively in the second set behind outside hitter Kyndal Whitley, who recorded a pair of powerful kills as Alvord fell behind 6-2. Alvord trimmed the deficit to 13-10 following kills from Limbaugh and Fanning along with an ace from Withers, but Tioga secured a 25-17 victory to level the match.
The third set featured a back-and-forth battle as Alvord briefly took an 8-7 lead and later tied the score at 19-19 behind a kill from Limbaugh. Tioga claimed the next two points on a controversial out-of-bounds call and closed out a 25-21 win.
Alvord fell behind 7-3 in the fourth set and faced a 21-12 deficit late in the frame. Williams delivered consecutive kills, Fanning added an ace, and Caleigh Chase dropped in a tip to narrow the gap to 23-19, but Tioga sealed the set 25-22.
Tioga advances to face 2AI Region I winner Nocona at 1 p.m. Saturday in the state semifinals.
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