The Gilmer High School Lady Bobcats volleyball team traveled to Columbus Georgia to take on the Columbus High School Blue Devils in a first round match up in the state tournament. The Lady “Cats,” in the first appearance in the state tournament since 2006, discovered that Columbus, a state champion in 2007, had too much firepower, as Columbus swept the match 3-0, (25-12, 25-4, and 25-10).The Lady Blue Devils brought a fierce line up to the table, featuring several girls over 6’0. The first set began with a kill from Columbus, followed by Gilmer scoring two straight points, including an ace from Brooke Sims that gave Gilmer an early 2-1 lead.

After Columbus tied the game with a kill at 2-2, Harmony Malham responded with a dig for a kill that Gave Gilmer back the lead; however, Columbus proceeded to go on a 19-2 run that saw the Lady “Cats” on the losing side of a 21-5 deficit.

The Lady “Cats” clawed out five straight points closing the gap to 21-10, including an ace from Jenna Parks; however Columbus scored four of the next six game points to take the first set 25-12.

Set two was a calamity for the “Cats,” as the Blue Devils came out on fire, scoring 12 points before Gilmer managing to get on the scoreboard. Parks registered the only Gilmer Kill of the set, as the Lady Cats went down 25-4, putting Columbus up 2-0.

The third set began with two quick points from Columbus; however, a kill by Gilmer’s Darby Herald sparked 4-0 run that featured a Parks kill on the book end of the run. Columbus closed the gap, tying the game at 4-4.

A kill by Herald broke the tie, and put Gilmer up 5-4; however, Columbus responded with an 11-2 run that put the home team up 15-7 and saw only one Lady “Cat” kill, courtesy of Parks. Gilmer managed only three more points, two on kills from Sims and Parks, to fall 25-10 in the set and 3-0 in the match.

The loss means the end of the season of the Lady Bobcats volleyball team.