Winter Park defeats Osceola Kissimmee to reach 7A volleyball state final

The Wildcats will meet Tampa Plant in Saturday's championship match

Winter Park players celebrate winning a point against Kissimmee Osceola during a Class 7A semifinal at the FHSAA girls volleyball state tournament on Friday at Polk State College in Winter Haven. / Bill Kemp

WINTER HAVEN – One of those rematches for the volleyball ages has arrived.

Winter Park held off a formidable Kissimmee Osceola 3-1 in a Class 7A girls volleyball semifinal on Friday at the FHSAA state tournament at Polk State College. 

“We made some defensive adjustments,” Winter Park head coach Stephanie Gibson said. “(Osceola) was on fire the first two sets but we figured it out as we went on.”

The win vaulted the Wildcats into a state title game rematch with juggernaut Tampa Plant at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Winter Park junior Isabel Bertelsen (14) moves in to help junior Amelia Mancino (5) set up a shot while Paige Lehman (15) watches during a Class 7A semifinal against Kissimmee Osceola at the FHSAA girls volleyball state tournament on Friday at Polk State College in Winter Haven. / Bill Kemp

Plant, the defending state champions, reached the title match after beating Boca Raton 3-0 in the second semifinal. Plant outscored Boca Raton 25-17, 25-18 and, 25-15.

Plant (22-1) swept Winter Park 3-0 this past year in the state title game, but Winter Park (27-1) handed Plant its lone loss this season with a 3-2 win on Oct. 5.

Winter Park took the first set 25-22 against Osceola, but the Kowboys came storming back and won the second set 22-25. It stayed close but Winter Park won the final two sets 26-24 and 25-22.

Osceola junior outside hitters Jordin Southall and Cate Palmi team up to set up a shot against Winter Park in a Class 7A semifinal at the FHSAA girls volleyball state tournament on Friday at Polk State College in Winter Haven. / Bill Kemp

“These kids know each other very well,”Gibson said. “It’s somewhat of a rival game. Osceola played fantastice today. They brought a few new wrinkles we had not seen before. They served very well and I thought their transition game was amazing. Their dig-to-kill was on-point.”

Winter Park had four players scoring double figures in kills with Giada Viti (23), Amelia Mancino (19), Isa Umpierre (16) and Amber McClain (16).

Plant had six players reach double figures in kills against Boca Raton: Liv Lambert (26), Estela González (22), Cambria Kuipers (19), Jordan Langston (18), Annabelle Kilby (18) and Abby Bucey (13). 

St. Thomas Aquinas and Gulf Breeze reach the Class 6A state title match

Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas knocked off Land O’ Lakes Sunlake 3-0 in the first 6A semifinal on Friday while Gulf Breeze beat Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer in the second semi, 3-0.

St. Thomas will face Gulf Breeze in the 6A state championship game Saturday.

St.Thomas rolled 25-21, 25-17, 25-23 getting 14 kills and 15 digs  from Zori Brown and nine kills from Sydney Guerrier.

Sunlake was led by Sofia Sierra with 14 kills and 15 digs.

Gulf Breeze rolled past Dwyer, winning sets 25-10, 25-16 and 25-14. Gulf Breeze was led by Sydney Sutter with 15 kills and 13 digs while Bella Satterwhite added 12 kills and 10 digs.

Dwyer was led by Alexia Marchese with 13 kills and 15 digs while Bella Levitthas 12 kills and 10 digs.