By MATT PIKE
The Mid-Buchanan Dragons volleyball team is continuing one of the best seasons in program history after beating the Bishop LeBlond Golden Eagles in a five-set thriller on Thursday night in the Class 2 State Sectionals.
The match was back and forth throughout. The Dragons earned a first set victory 25-21, and the Golden Eagles hit back taking set two 25-22 to knot up the match. Bishop LeBlond was on the brink of claiming set three, holding a 22-19 advantage, before a Mid-Buchanan timeout switched the momentum and the Dragons rattled off six straight points to take the set 25-22. Again, in the fourth set, the Golden Eagles held a lead before losing it but were able to rally back this time to force the fifth set, winning 26-24.
The Dragons claimed the fifth set 15-8, winning one of their most competitive matches this season, being taken to five sets for the first time. Head Coach Ron Underwood says it was a big moment beating a Bishop LeBlond team, who knows these types of games.
"This is the first ever sectional game for Mid-Buchanan, we've got a sophomore out there whose never been in a spot like that and a freshman whose never been in a spot like that, and at times it showed, but man we love them, we need them, they've helped us all year and we're going to need them again," Underwood tells reporters after the game.
The Dragons also snapped a long losing streak against the Golden Eagles. The last win for Mid-Buchanan against Bishop LeBlond came in 2016, during the regular season. Following that win, the Dragons went on a 13-game losing streak to Bishop LeBlond before the win on Thursday night
Mid-Buchanan has been on quite the run this season, improving to 37-1 on the season with the win. The Dragons have only gone beyond three sets once this season, against the East Buchanan Bulldogs who at the time snapped a streak of 59 consecutive sets won by Mid-Buchanan to force a fourth set. Senior Bailey Coman says a match like this will help during the run into the state tournament.
"It means so much, especially this match going to five, it means so much," Coman explains. "Because we're going to be tested on the way and we needed this game I think, it's helpful."
Mid-Buchanan will face another tough test next, hosting Adrian in the state quarterfinals on Saturday. Adrian is 26-8-2 on the season and comes off a 3-1 win over Lafayette County in sectionals. Start time in Faucett for the match is to be determined.
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