PHOTO GALLERY: Lady Warriors come up short at sectional

KINGSPORT — The RCS Lady Warriors’ volleyball team enjoyed a great season, but it came to an end Saturday at the TMSAA Section 1-A tournament at John Sevier Middle School in Kingsport.

The Lady Warriors went in as Area 2’s No. 2 seed and opened with a win-or-go home matchup against the Johnson County Lady Longhorns. The first set was close throughout, but the Lady Warriors prevailed 25-19. The second set was dominated by the Lady Warriors, who won 25-7.

The Lady Warriors next played the West Greene Lady Buffs. The Lady Buffs ran off with the first set, 25-13. The Lady Warriors fought back, winning the second set 25-19. The Lady Buffs led most of the third and deciding set. The Lady Warriors did rally near the end but came up short 15-10.

The loss put the Lady Warriors in the losers’ bracket, where they defeated South Greene in three sets (25-23, 20-25, 15-12). The next opponent was Fall Branch, which eliminated RCS in straight sets (25-22, 25-22).

The Lady Warriors finished the season 21-5. They were the first volleyball team in RCS history to win the regular season championship and the first to go undefeated in area play during the regular season.

They will return three starters with Laney Bradley, Kyrah Pope and Addilyn Rutledge. The Lady Warriors’ eighth graders are Harlen Hayes, Rylee Sivert, Molli Stuffle, Madelynn Banks and Addison Burns.

West Greene, the defending Class A state champion, won the sectional to earn a return trip the TMSAA volleyball state championships.