After guaranteeing themselves two extra games on the season, #6 Laurel-Concord-Coleridge went back to work less than 16 hours later during the Class C2 state semifinal in a rematch from the subdistrict final round.
Back on the Pinnacle Bank Arena South Court in Lincoln during a Nov. 7 match, LCC secured a 3-0 sweep over #7 Oakland-Craig (25-23, 25-17, 25-23).
The Bears (33-3) have now won 14 straight while the Knights (29-8) saw their two-match win streak snapped.
On Oct. 29 in Oakland, Laurel-Concord-Coleridge won in five sets at Oakland-Craig (25-21, 21-25, 25-20, 19-25, 15-7 ) during the C2-6 Subdistrict final.
In now 18 matches decided in a best three-of-five this season, LCC is 13-0 in 3-0 sweeps, 2-1 in four-set matches and 2-0 in five-set matches. The Bears have gone 85-15 in total sets played this season.
Oakland-Craig recently completed their 15th match decided in best three-of-five sets where suffered their first 3-0 loss of the season (8-1 in 3-0 sweeps), 4-1 in four-set matches and 0-1 in five-set matches. The Knights have gone 74-25 in sets played this season.
LCC double-doubles were posted by junior Rena Rasmussen on 15 kills and 13 digs; senior Tyler Recob followed with 11 kills and 15 digs while junior Carlie Kvols with 33 assists and 11 digs to go along with two kills and a block.
Junior Kaida Eriksen led the Bears in digs with 17 to go along with eight kills and a block.
Senior Laney Folkers tallied three kills and two digs; junior Boston Brown posted two kills, four digs and a block as sophomore Taelynn Settje closed with three digs.
The Bears hit .208 on the match while Oakland-Craig recorded a .163 hitting percentage.
LCC finished with three service aces (one error) being recorded by Recob with two aces and Brown (one) compared to the Knights with three aces (eight errors).
Earlier in the afternoon, #4 Freeman (28-4) swept #8 Yutan (22-8) (25-21, 25-12, 25-14).
Championship volleyball will take over Nov. 8 as the Class C2 final will showcase #4 Freeman vs. #6 Laurel-Concord-Coleridge at 1 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln.
Lincoln East will host the consolation round with Class C2 playing at 3 p.m. featuring #8 Yutan vs. #7 Oakland-Craig.
Again, this is the first-ever trip to state as Laurel-Concord-Coleridge for the Bears while Oakland-Craig is competing in their seventh state tournament (five straight) recently finishing fourth in 2023 (C2), third place in 2022 (C2) and champion in 2021 (C2).
