Gadsden State fell to Wallace-Hanceville, 25-14, 25-13, 25-15, in the Alabama Community College Conference volleyball tournament championship match on Nov. 2 in Hanceville.
The top-seeded Lady Lions (35-8) advanced to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I national tournament in Casper, Wyo., on Nov. 20-22.
Gadsden State (26-16) advanced to the NJCAA District P playoff match on Nov. 9 at Florida State College at Jacksonville at 12 pm EST. The winner of the playoff also advances to the national tournament.
Wallace State and Gadsden State have met in the title match five of the last six seasons.
The third-seeded Lady Cardinals held brief 6-4 and 7-6 leads in the third game of the title match, but after a 7-7 tie Wallace State yielded only eight points the rest of the way.
Gadsden State opened the tournament on Nov. 1 with a 25-17, 25-22, 25-10 win over Wallace-Selma, then fell to Faulkner State, 25-22, 25-21, 14-25, 22-25, 11-15. GSCC closed out the first day’s action with a 25-20, 25-16, 25-20 victory over Southern Union.
On Nov. 2, the Lady Cardinals defeated Snead State, 26-24, 25-21, 12-25, 25-14 before posting a 25-17, 25-19, 25-20 semifinal victory over Faulkner State.
Wallace State, which received a first-round bye, opened with a 25-14, 25-15, 25-14 win over Snead State. The Lady Lions added a 25-9, 25-14, 25-14 win over second-seeded Faulkner State on Saturday afternoon to earn a berth into the championship match.
Four Gadsden State players earned postseason honors. Sophomore hitter Audrey Hargitt was named to the All-Region 22 team, while sophomore hitters Amanda Young and Hannah Liverett and freshman hitter Emma Easley were selected to the second team.
For the tournament for the Lady Cardinals, Katie Mitchell had 70 kills, followed by Easley with 65, Hargitt with 54 and Liverett with 51.
Kaycee Willingham had 227 assists and 10 aces.
Hargitt had 16 blocks, while Liverett had nine and Mitchell six.
Amanda Young had 215 digs, followed by Easley with 151, Riley Carter with 97, Chassidy Farmer with 75, Willingham with 33, Hargitt with 19 and Anna Sanders with 13.