The South Greene volleyball team will begin its 18th consecutive state tournament on Tuesday evening at Rockvale High School in Murfreesboro by taking on Summertown in the Class A bracket.
The first serve for Tuesday’s contest is set for 5 PM Central Time, 6 PM Eastern Time.
While the trip to Murfreesboro is a familiar one for the Lady Rebels, Summertown is no stranger to the state’s geographic center. South Greene has played in the state tournament every year since 2009, and the Lady Eagles have been in the state tournament field for 14 of those 18 state tournaments.
Summertown has three state titles in its history, 2019, 2020, and 2022. That streak was broken up by the Lady Rebels who beat Summertown in the 2021 state title game.
The Last time the two teams met was 2024 when Summertown beat South Greene 3-0 to end the Lady Rebels’ season. Summertown also ended South Greene’s season in the 2019 state tournament, but South Greene go the best of Summertown in 2014, 2015, and 2017.
Summertown came in third place in last year’s state tournament.
The Lady Eagles come into this year’s Class A state tournament with a 31-14 record. They lost to Loretto in the District 11-A championship game but then beat Loretto in the Region 6-A championship game. Summertown beat Harpeth 3-0 in the state sectionals to advance to the Class A State Tournament for the third straight year.
Summertown has found success this year by spreading out the attack along the net. Five different Lady Eagles have more than 100 kills this season. Izzy Garland, a 5’9” MTSU softball commitment, leads that effort with 303 kills. Lena Brown, a 5’10 middle blocker, has 278 kills and leads the team with a 38 percent kill percentage.
Senior Madeline Gilliam leads the back row with 570 digs, 602 serve receptions and 102 service aces.
South Greene is 23-14 on the year and enters the state tournament as District 1-A and Region 1-A champions. It then swept Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences in the state sectionals.
The Lady Rebels’ offense has relied on the duo of sophomore Emma Padgett and senior Kinley McCaslin. Padgett arrives in Murfreesboro with 540 kills on the season and a 40 percent kill percentage. McCaslin rarely leaves the floor and had 407 kills, 354 digs, 69 aces, and 458 serve receptions. McCaslin is first or second on the team in each of those categories.
Jaelyn Fillers has developed into South Greene’s top passer and has 566 assists on the year. Libero Ella Bailey leads the defense with 347 digs and 570 serve receptions.
On the same side of the bracket as South Greene and Summertown are Merrol Hyde (18-6) and Bledsoe County (30-9). Merrol Hyde is making its second consecutive and second ever state tournament appearance. Bledsoe County is making its first ever state tournament appearance.
If South Greene beats Summertown it will play the winner of Merrol Hyde and Bledsoe County on Wednesday at 12 PM Central Time. If the Lady Rebels lose to Summertown they will play the loser of Merrol Hyde and Bledsoe County at 5 PM Central Time on Wednesday.
On the opposite side of the bracket Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts (27-6) will play Middleton (23-8), and Halls (11-3) will play Eagleville (40-6). Eagleville is the defending Class A state champion.
