For the second consecutive year, the Hancock Lady Hawks took on the George County Lady Rebels in the 6A South State volleyball finals Monday, and for the second year in a row, the Lady Hawks are headed to Clinton to play for a state championship.
Hancock improved to 30-6 with a straight-set 25-22, 25-20, 25-14 home victory over George County and will take on North Mississippi champion Lake Cormorant in a rematch of last year’s state final.
George County finished its season at 26-10.
The Lady Hawks jumped out to a 14-9 lead in the first set, forcing a George County timeout. The Lady Rebels responded with a 7-2 run to cut the lead to 17-16, forcing a Hancock timeout. The Lady Hawks slowly extended their lead, outscoring the Lady Rebels 8-6 to take the first set 25-22.
The second set was tied at 9 and went back and forth with Hancock taking a 15-11 lead and forcing a George County timeout.
The Lady Rebels got within three on a couple of occasions, but Hancock never relinquished the lead and won the set 25-20.
With its season on the line, George County won three of the first four points in the third set, but Hancock responded with a 9-3 run and led 10-6, forcing a Lady Rebels timeout.
After the timeout, momentum was clearly on the Lady Hawks’ side as they outscored the Lady Rebels 8-3 and led 18-9, forcing another timeout by George County.
The Lady Rebels continued to battle but Hancock never allowed George County to build any momentum and closed out the three-set victory 25-14.
Hancock coach Greg Dillard said he was really proud of the focus his team showed and “the way our players performed tonight. The fans and the student section created an electric atmosphere the girls fed off of. We are looking forward to a state championship rematch with Lake Cormorant.”
Lake Cormorant swept Hancock last season.
The best-of-five rematch is set for Oct. 17 at 4 p.m. at A.E. Wood Coliseum on the campus of Mississippi College in Clinton.
