By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Two teams from Northern Kentucky will play two teams from Louisville in the semifinals of the state volleyball tournament on Saturday at George Rogers Clark High School.
One of the matchups will be Notre Dame vs. Louisville Assumption, the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the final state coaches poll, at 1:30 p.m.
Last year, Assumption defeated Notre Dame, 3-1, in the state championship match. This season, Notre Dame won the first two matches played between the perennial powers.
Scott will take on Louisville Mercy in Saturday’s first semifinal match at 11 a.m.
This is the first time since 2014 that Scott has won its first two state tournament matches. Mercy, ranked No. 8 in the coaches poll, will be playing in the state final four for the 11th time in 13 years.
In the quarterfinals on Friday, Scott defeated Paintsville, 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-18) to raise its record to 31-11. The leading hitter for the Eagles was junior Morgan Justice with 10 kills, followed by junior Milyn Minor with eight and senior Brooklyn Helm with seven.
The score was tied, 23-23, in the second set when Minor and Justice got the final two points the Eagles needed for the win. Scott’s other stat leaders were junior Ryann Grigsby with 21 assists and senior Elise Manhardt with 11 digs and four service aces.
Notre Dame will take a 33-3 record into the semifinals after posting a 3-0 win over Knott County Central (25-13, 25-10, 25-10) in Friday’s quarterfinals. This is the fifth time in six years the Pandas have reached the final four.
The top-ranked Notre Dame lineup put down 55 kills with an impressive .505 attack percentage against Knott County Central.
The rundown of kill leaders included junior Audrey Dyas (16), senior Ava Tilden (15), sophomore Teagan Kondik (10) and junior Gracie Portwood (9). Junior setter Lizzie Larkins posted 50 assists for the Pandas.
Volleyball state tournament
FRIDAY AT GEORGE ROGERS CLARK H.S.
Louisville Mercy 3, Bowling Green 0 (25-14, 25-17, 30-28)
Scott 3, Paintsville 0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-18)
Louisville Assumption 3, McCracken County 0 (25-13, 25-14, 25-14)
Notre Dame 3, Knott County Central 0 (25-13, 25-10, 25-10)
SATURDAY AT GEORGE ROGERS CLARK
Scott (31-11) vs. Louisville Mercy (27-14), 11 a.m.
Notre Dame (33-3) vs. Louisville Assumption (33-8), 1:30 p.m.
Championship match, 7:30 p.m.