Gilmer Volleyball (copy)

MINEOLA — Lindale entered the volleyball playoffs having swept all 12 of its district matches.

Gilmer finished in a three-way tie for second with Carthage and Henderson in District 16-4A before dropping a seeding tiebreaker to Henderson to set up Tuesday’s first-round playoff match with state-ranked Lindale.

Even down one set to none, the Lady Buckeyes didn’t flinch. Gilmer won the next three sets to upset the No. 12 Lindale (21-25, 25-19, 26-24, 25-20) in the bi-district round of the Class 4A Division I playoffs.

“After that second and third set, I just knew no matter what that our girls were going to fight hard until the very end,” Gilmer head volleyball coach Keirsten Seahorn said. “Just to see how hard they fought and see that last ball go out, it was amazing. I don’t know how to describe it other than I was just so excited and happy for my girls.”

Gilmer led 8-6 early in the first set before a 12-3 Lindale spurt pushed the score to 18-11. Down 23-15, Gilmer battled back and eventually cut the score to 24-21 before a kill by Keirsan Sanders on an assist by Emory Schmidt put the Lady Eagles ahead 1-0.

Lindale jumped out to a 9-5 lead in the second set and later led 17-15 following a 6-1 run. But with the score tied at 18, Gilmer reeled off a 5-0 run to go up 23-18. After Lindale’s Brooke Gissell delivered a kill, senior Lacey Wilson came back with two straight kills — both assisted by senior Alex Werbeck — to even the match score.

The Lady Buckeyes led 7-1 early in the third. Lindale responded with an 8-0 run behind the serving of Alyssa Potts to take a 9-7 lead. With Lindale leading 14-11, Brie Jones served Gilmer to a 6-0 run to go up 17-14. Lindale eventually rallied to go up 23-20, but after Gilmer won a point to get the serve back, senior Alexis Kemp served two straight aces to tie the score at 23. Jordyn Weesner had a kill for the Lady Eagles to bring up set point, but Gilmer got kills from Wilson and Werbeck to set up an ace by Wilson to put the lady Buckeyes up 2-1 in the match.

Gilmer held a 17-9 lead in the third set before a 5-1 Lindale run cut the score to 18-14. With the Lady Buckeyes up 20-15, Weesner and Addison Ridge combined for three kills to cut the score to 20-18. Gilmer again had an answer and led 23-19 after a Livi Brown kill. A kill by Ridge made the score 23-20, but Wilson came back with another kill. And then the last ball of the match went out of bounds, sending the Lady Buckeyes into a celebration.

“It just feels so good,” Wilson said. “I’m not playing after high school, so it’s just another opportunity to have a great game and play for these girls. It means everything.

“We discussed a lot about what we were fighting for and having a clear vision and not losing that vision while we were playing.”

Following the win, Keirsten Seahorn hugged her mother, Harmony softball coach Sheri Seahorn.

“She’s who I want to be and who I want to be like,” Keirsten said. “Knowing that she’s here and that she’s proud of me and that she’s helped build me and has been a perfect role model for me is just everything. And that hug just tore me to shreds.”

Lindale finished the season with a record of 37-9. It was the final match for seniors Ridge, Reagan Hope and Maddie Fowble.

Gilmer (23-16) advances to face Caddo Mills in the area round.