LAKELAND - As the top-ranked team in Class A, Bayshore Christian should be confident about its chances entering Saturday's state title game.
"We don't go in saying we're better than you and we're going to beat you," setter Katie Mitcham said. "I think the word is confident. We're not cocky. We're confident. We'll go in expecting a challenge but also bringing a challenge to them."
The challenge was thrown down Thursday as the Faith Warriors improved to 29-2 by sweeping No. 6 Lake Worth Christian 25-17, 25-14, 26-24. Opposing Bayshore at 10 a.m. Saturday will be Maitland Orangewood Christian, ranked No. 2 in Class A and which beat Ocala St. John Lutheran 25-21, 25-7, 25-22.
Bayshore coach Melanie Humenansky, who recorded her 200th victory Thursday, and the Faith Warriors defeated the Rams in the 1998 state semifinals en route to the school's only championship.
Lake Worth Christian's biggest lead, three points, came during the third game. It went on a 3-0 run during that game to take a 19-16 lead, one of just four runs of three points or more by the Defenders during the match. Trailing 21-18, Bayshore put the match in the hands of Stevi Cherry.
The junior outside hitter recorded kills on the next three points to tie the score and scored five consecutive points for Bayshore.
Cherry finished with match highs in kills (24) and aces (three).
"I have confidence in myself to close out the match," Cherry said.
"We're to the point where it's not, "Oh no, we're behind."'
Down 24-23, the Warriors fought off game point, scoring the next three to take the game and match.
Bayshore denied the Defenders (23-8) any chance of getting into the first two games. The Faith Warriors scored the first three points of the match. Then Cherry picked up three consecutive kills during a 6-0 run as Bayshore opened a 10-3 lead.
After losing the first set, Lake Worth grabbed the first point of the second game to take its first lead, but Cherry led Bayshore on a 7-1 run with four kills. The Defenders closed to 7-6, but Bayshore scored 15 of the next 21 points as Lake Worth did not score two straight points.
