Dreams of Osceola’s first state volleyball championship came up just short when the Kowboys dropped a five-set decision to Hagerty in the Class 7A state-semifinals Saturday.
The Huskies (23-8), 2019 state champions, play Venice (21-4) in Saturday’s title match.
Hagerty’s 23-25, 25-22, 25-18, 15-25, 15-8 semifinal win completed Osceola’s season at 26-5, ending the Lady Kowboys deepest state playoff run ever.
“Even in that first set, I never thought we were comfortable – especially when it came to running our offense,” OHS Coach Carrie Palmi said. “Not sure whether we were a little nervous, but we certainly did not settle down until the fourth set.”
Neither team looked settled in the first set. Many points were scored on ball handling and attack errors and Osceola built a 20-15 lead and hung on for the win.
Hagerty took full control in the second and third sets, grabbing a 2010 lead in set two, and in the third the Huskies led 13-6 and 19-10 before Osceola tightened the game up with a modest four-point run to cut the gap to 23-17.
“Give them a lot of credit, they scouted us well. They knew our strength was on the outside and they used their outside hitters to attack our middle,” Palmi said. “We made some adjustments and were able to fight back in the fourth set.”
Osceola was strong in the fourth set. Two kills and an ace by freshman sensation Cate Palmi gave Osceola an early 8-3 lead and three service points by Palmi later extended the lead to 1811, a lead they’d keep.
But whatever momentum the Kowboys built dissipated in the deciding “race to 15” set. Hagerty built an insurmountable 10-2 lead, and while a late Osceola run made it 14-8, a kill from the right side ended the match and Osceola’s season.
Palmi, one of the state’s leaders in kills, had 19 Saturday. Senior Kaitlyn Taylor had 16 kills. Brooke Stephens led the way for Hagerty with 19 kills.
“It was a fantastic run for this group,” Carrie Palmi said. “We had great leadership from our seniors, especially Taylor and (libero) Eimy Negron and I am sure they will go on to big things in college. Unfortunately, we did not play our best tonight but this was the best run in a state tournament in school history and this group has a lot to be proud of.”
Expect another strong Osceola team next year. Palmi will return as a sophomore along with Sophie Spivey and assist leader Alex Liggeri. Coach Palmi says they will miss departing seniors Taylor and Negron, but “we have a lot of solid young players waiting in the wings.”
Cross Country state race report: two county teams and two individuals competed in the Class 4A FHSAA cross country state meet in Tallahassee Saturday.
Tohopekaliga placed three runners in the top 60, including Johan Comacho (20th,16:12.8), Javan Medina (48th, 16.55.7) and Zaniel Lizardo (57th, 17.08.4) as the Tigers placed 18th as a team. Celebration, 26th place overall, was led by Evan Amaya’s 58th place finish in 17:09.8.
Harmony ’s Joel Jean, running as an individual qualifier, finished 39th overall in 16.45.2 over the 5K-course; while Longhorn runner Leilana Decker (20:07.3) and Celebration’s Catalina Edwards (20:18.2) finished in 37th and 40th place respectively in the girls race.
