Gahanna Lincoln's girls volleyball team defeated Hilliard Davidson 3-1 on Tuesday, Oct. 27, to advance to the OHSAA Division I District Championship.
The 14th-seeded Lions won three of four sets at Hilliard Davidson, taking the opener 25-22 before dropping the second set 23-25. Gahanna Lincoln pulled away in the final two sets, winning 25-17 and 25-18 to close out the match, according to the OHSAA tournament bracket.
The win sets up a Thursday, Oct. 29, matchup against third-seeded Pickerington North for the Central 3 District title. First serve is 7:30 p.m.
Pickerington North swept Grove City Central Crossing 3-0 in the other semifinal, winning 25-15, 25-15 and 25-10.
The Lions entered the postseason at 12-10 overall and 8-2 in the Ohio Capital Conference-Ohio division. Head coach Aleese Butler's squad carries 10 seniors on its 16-player roster, including middle blocker Kaylee Jackson. The Columbus Dispatch reported Oct. 22 that the 6-foot senior held the program's all-time lead in kills and blocks, with 194 kills and 78 blocks through the regular season.
Thursday's championship will be the third meeting between the two teams this season. Gahanna Lincoln lost to Pickerington North twice during the regular season, both times in straight sets. The Panthers won 3-0 at Pickerington North on Sept. 29 and 3-0 again at Gahanna on Oct. 15, according to the Lions' schedule.
Pickerington North finished the regular season 19-3 and won its fifth consecutive OCC-Ohio title with a 10-0 conference record, the Dispatch reported.
The Central 3 District champion advances to the Region 1 Tournament, where it would face the Central 1 District winner.
