For either the Lady Imps from Cary or the Lady Mustangs from Middle Creek, the 2008 post-season began last night.

Both teams had a play-in game over at Athens Drive High School to decide the fifth and final spot for the Tri-8 conference in the state play-offs. 

Both teams split the regular season schedule games, each winning on their home court in five sets.

To earn the right to play in this game Cary defeated Fuquay-Varina in four sets; 25-22, 22-25, 25-20 and 25-17.  Middle Creek defeated Panther Creek in five sets to mark their spot in the play-in game.

Set one didn't show how equal these two teams were but sets 2, 3, and 4, sure did. 

Both teams battled hard and scores went back and forth on a consistent basis but in the end, CHS earned the right to return back to the post-season with a 15-25, 25-23, 26-24, and 25-23, three sets to one set win over MCHS.

The start of set one went back and forth till it was 9-8 in favor of CHS.  Following two hit-outs by Cary, Rachel Ruch recorded back-to-back kills for Middle Creek to put them ahead 11-9, forcing Cary Head Coach Phillip Goodloe to call for a time-out.  Ruch made it 13-9 with another kill, following a CHS err.

With the score, 15-10, MCHS, the Lady Imps climbed back into the contest.  After a Middle Creek error to earn the side-out, Sophomore Allie Endres got the kill and then Junior Caroline Salevan recorded back-to-back Aces to make the score, 15-14, MCHS, forcing the Middle Creek coach to call for a time-out.

Whatever she said in that time-out worked as the Lady Mustangs went on a 10-1 run to close out set one winning 25-15.

Set two saw Middle Creek open up to a 5-3 lead following two kills by Carson Brewer and the three-point service run by Kayla Schuller.

Cary was up to the challenge as they answered back getting the 8-7 lead off a kill by Salevan and a MCHS err.

The Lady Mustangs opened up another lead, this time 15-10, midway through the second set.  MCHS got kills from Ruch and Emily Horton during that run and Emily Booker also recorded an ace.  This prompted Coach Goodloe to call for a time-out.

Just as Middle Creek responded positively to their coaches time-out in set one, Cary followed suit in this set as they went on a 7-0 run to regain the lead.

Following a kill by Endres for the side-out, Junior Clarke Glendenning scored 3 Aces during the run and a kill by Junior Lizzy Sullivan closed out the run making it 18-15, CHS.

From there the Lady Imps never relinquished the lead going on to take the second set, 25-23.

The tie breaking set three opened up with Middle Creek getting the slight lead at 6-5, before Cary answered back with a 5-0 run to take the lead 10-6 behind the five point service run of Sullivan in which she recorded two aces.

CHS increased the lead to six-points, 14-8, behind the service of Salevan.  A kill by Senior Kelsey Campbell earned the side-out for the Lady Imps.

Late in the game MCHS re-took the lead, 21-19, thanks to an ace by Deanna Scarborough and a kill by Booker.

Cary responded back getting the lead 23-22, behind a kill by Endres and couple MCHS errors, and prompted a Middle Creek time-out.  CHS came within a point of the win after another kill by Endres.

Middle Creek tied it up at 24 after a kill by Horton and an ace by Schuller, but two Middle Creek errors gave the 26-24 win to the Lady Imps.

The Fourth game was a back-and-forth battle till very late in the game where the Lady Mustangs had a 20-16 lead after a kill by Ruch.

From there, Cary's offense took it up another notch as they went on a 5-0 run to take the lead 21-20.  Campbell recorded a kill during that run which prompted a MCHS time-out. 

Kill's by Campbell, Sullivan and Endres closed out the 25-23 set four win sending the Lady Imps into the state play-offs

Cary's next opponent will be the Lady Golden Hawks from Holly Springs High School.  The game will be at Holly Springs at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18th.