Published: November 06, 2007 10:22 pm      

Lady Cardinals shock Bellville in 5

KLEIN — The Bridge City Lady Cardinals probably do not even know how to spell the word quit much less put the term into action.

The Lady Cardinals are now one of 16 teams left in the 3A playoff bracket after a five-game, precious victory over the Bellville Brahmanettes at Klein Forrest High School in the Class 3A Region III Regional Quarterfinals.

After falling 25-17 in Game 1, Bridge City shrugged off big deficit after big deficit to win Game 2 26-24, Game 4 25-22 and Game 5 15-12.

Bellville won Game 3 25-17.

Once again it was the conditioning and will power of the Lady Cardinals (25-13) in Game 5 which made all the difference.

Senior Audrey Myers had six of her match-high 24 kills in Game 5 and it was Sam West who came up with the match-winning block on Bellville's Precious Sanders.

Sanders was a thorn in Bridge City's side all night with a team-high 16 kills with monster spikes.

Bellville ends its season at 25-17.

"I think my heart stopped," Bridge City senior Lauren Angelle said.. "Coach (Becca) Mathews prepared us so well for this. When we had to make changes, they were made. We never once gave up tonight."

Lauren Angelle finished with 11 kills, five assists and 19 digs in the victory while sister Jenna Angelle finished with a team-high 23 digs.

Myers put in seven assists and two aces. Sophomore Emily Kosh certainly made a difference with six aces and 21 assists.

Myers compared the Brahmanettes to the Silsbee Lady Tigers whom the Lady Cardinals defeated twice in three matches this season.

"They were very tough," Myers said. "Game 5 I knew we had it because we have won all our Game 5's this season. This is awesome. It makes it better it is my senior year and we are headed to the regional tournament. I hope we can go over there and do our best."

Game 2 was exciting throughout as the two teams stayed close to each other.

The largest lead was when Bellville opened with a 4-0 lead only to see Kosh serve the Lady Cardinals back into contention.

Kosh hit three straight service points, including two aces, to make it 4-4.

Four straight Bellville errors down the stretch gave the Lady Cardinals the 26-24 win.

In Game 4 the Lady Cardinals once again had to battle back as the Brahmanettes took an early 7-1 advantage.

The Cardiac Lady Cardinals fought back on the serve of Myers who hit six straight points making it 10-8 Bellville and the Brahmanettes were never to put Bridge City away from that point on.

Bridge City took its first lead of Game 4 when Kosh set up Kayla Fullerton for a kill making it 19-18.

Fullerton followed it up with an ace to pad the lead.

Lauren Angelle finished Game 4 with a nice kill giving Bridge City a 25-22 win and forced Game 5.

It was then Bellville who never gave up in Game 5 but the Brahmanettes were chasing the Lady Cardinals the entire time.

Bellville's Bethany Braun tied Game 5 at 12 with a kill but it was the last time the Brahmanettes would score this season.

Fullerton made it 13-12 with a kill and then the Lady Cardinals went back to their bread and butter with Kosh setting up Myers to make it 14-12.

West then came up with the huge block to end the match.

"This feels more than incredible," Kosh said. "I'm extremely proud of this team, everybody did an awesome job. Bellville was a great team."

Mathews is now ready to take her team into College Station this weekend.

"I don't think they got into true groove until the fifth game," Mathews said. "Only thing I can think of in Game 5, leave it all on the floor.. No matter what be proud after the game was over. Especially the seniors, you think you know them. I swear every game, someone surprises me. We don't play the game the same every game."