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Osceola players celebrate the final point in during the Lady Kowboys upset over nationally ranked Flint Hill on Friday. PHOTO/OSCEOLA HIGH SCHOOL
Going into the weekend’s NIKE Tournament of Champions event in Tampa, Osceola Coach Carrie Palmi knew her team would be faced with both a tremendous challenge, and an outstanding opportunity, in taking on some of the country’s best high school volleyball teams.
The Kowboys made noise from the start, with a 25-18, 24-26, 15-11 win over Flint Hill (Oakton, Va.) in their opening match. Flint Hill came into the match as the nation’s 14th ranked team after going 36-0 last year and winning the Virginia state championship.
“It was an incredible victory against a great opponent. Every point was contested and you could fill the tension in the air,” Palmi said. “It was a great win for our program.”
Cate Palmi (13) and Jordin Southall (11) combined for 24 kills. But with setter Alex Liggeri battling injury, the Lady Kowboys dropped matches to Class 7A power Plant (2520, 25-19) and 6A stalwart Oviedo (27-25, 25-13).
“I wouldn’t say we were drained from the Flint Hill match, we simply didn’t play that well against Oviedo and Plant,” Palmi said. “Tournaments are a lot different than regular season matches. You are playing a best of three, but you end up playing three or four matches in one day. It can be draining.”
Osceola came on strong Saturday to defeat St. Louis Incarnate Word, 22-25, 25-23, 15-10. They would then take another nationally ranked team to three sets – dropping a 2225, 25-17, 17-15 decision to Pace Academy. The 10th ranked team in the country according to Ma Preps, Pace was coming off a 42-1 season and a Georgia state championship.
“Incredibly talented team and we stayed with them point for point,” Palmi said of the narrow loss. “There’s no question you can learn as much or more from a loss than a win.”
Osceola finished the tournament with a 3-3 mark, taking down a familiar opponent in Timber Creek, 27-25, 259, and finished third in the Silver Division. Palmi and Southall were named to the All-Tournament team, combining for 126 kills in six matches.
“High profile tournaments like this are an incredible building block for our team,” Palmi said. “Being successful against high level competition certainly will prepare you for state tournament play down the future.”
