Greenbrier gets revenge on Lakeside
Last season's 2-AAAA Area Volleyball Tournament ended with Lakeside upsetting Greenbrier for the area crown.
This season, Greenbrier found revenge.
The Lady Wolfpack defeated Lakeside 25-13, 26-24, 25-19, 25-20 in the fifth meeting between the two schools this season. Greenbrier, winners of four of those five meetings, won the championship Thursday in front of their home crowd.
"They all showed up," Greenbrier head coach Debbie Born said of the Lady Wolfpack fans that rushed the court after the 3-1 win. "We had great support. It really helped us."
The win gives Greenbrier a No. 1 seed in the AAAA state tournament.
Only 16 teams qualified for the state playoffs. Greenbrier will see a familiar opponent in the tournament's first round.
Eagles Landing, the second place team from Area 1, defeated Greenbrier 2-0 on Oct. 1. The match was the fourth contest of the day for the Lady Wolfpack.
Despite the loss, Greenbrier has played in three such tournament settings with a 9-3 record. The Lady Wolfpack hope for similar results in the playoffs.
"We're in a tough bracket and we'll be traveling," Born said. "We've got the tournament experience. The girls will be ready."
Despite falling to Greenbrier in the Area Championship, Lakeside also is advancing to the AAA state tournament.
The Lady Panthers' first round opponent, Dutchtown High School out of Hampton, Ga., is a complete stranger.
"I looked at their Web site and their record, but as far as anything else we don't know too much," Lakeside head coach Kevin Williams said.
"I think it could be a good thing for us. Sometimes when we have had expectations with other teams we may think we're too ready."
Traveling to the state tournament is familiar territory for Lakeside. The Lady Panthers have reached the state playoffs each of the past four seasons.
Lakeside (27-12) will play their first round match against Dutchfork (37-10-1) on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 10 a.m. at St. Pius X in Atlanta.
Greenbrier (28-9) will meet Eagles Landing (20-26-2) on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 10 a.m. at Alpharetta High School in Alpharetta, Ga.