The Cassville eighth-grade volleyball team earned first place in the Big 8 Conference Tournament on Oct. 8 at the Nevada School District, a backto- back feat for the high schoolbound athletes.

“The girls fought hard all season to earn a number three seed in the Big 8 West Conference tournament,” said Shari Rhea, CMS volleyball coach. “We were right where we needed to be. The top three seeded teams were very close.

“We traveled to Nevada to play Seneca as our first opponent of the day to determine if we could start the ladder climb to first place or play for fifth place in the tournament. We started off strong and won the first set, but Seneca challenged us a bit in the second set.”

After earning a win against Seneca, the Wildcats advanced to play against Nevada, taking the match in two sets.

“This qualified us to play in the championship match against the Lamar Tigers,” Rhea said. “The championship was a battle both mentally and physically. The first set ended with a score of 25-19 in our favor. Set No. 2 was a back-and-forth game. Finally, at a score of 15-12, we had a time-out and we decided to get things done.

“The girls went out on the floor with determination and it paid off. The winning score was 25-13. The girls did exactly what they needed to do to get the job done. They earned the title with six straight sets. We are so proud of these girls’ hard work and determination all season.”