Bucs back in state tourney

The Hoover High School volleyball team has been there before, but that hurdle of advancing past the Class 7A Super Regional is still important.

“It’s definitely a big deal,” said Nora Webster said.

Webster led the Bucs with 18 kills in Hoover’s four-set victory over Grissom in Thursday afternoon in Huntsville, 25-19, 25-15, 25-27, 25-11.

At the 7A level, teams are only required to win the first match of super regionals to qualify for the state tournament, held next week at the Birmingham CrossPlex. But that doesn’t mean the Bucs are ready to sit on their laurels for the final two matches of the super regional.

“Each game matters the same to us,” said senior libero Olivia Portera. “It doesn’t matter what it’s called. Whoever we play, we’ve just got to play our game.”

Hoover advanced to the state tournament last year as well, but faltered and fell short of the ultimate prize. Portera hopes the rest of the team learned from that moment, especially the current contributors that did not play as much last fall.

“They’ve seen what it looks like,” Portera said of the state tournament. “As long as we’re calm, they’ll be calm.”

On Thursday, Paige Shaw racked up 17 kills. Grace Harris, thrust into a prominent role after an injury to Spencer Downs last weekend, has grown more comfortable with each match and finished with 42 assists.

The Bucs had a slight letdown late in the third set, and surrendered it to Grissom instead of finishing off the match. A mere handful of minutes later, the match was over, as they wasted no time blowing through the fourth and final set.

Hoover will take on two-time defending state champion Mountain Brook on Friday at 3:30 p.m. Depending on the result, the Bucs will either play in the finals or in the consolation match at 8 p.m.