By Staff
BERRIEN SPRINGS - The Dowagiac varsity volleyball team reached the finals of the Berrien Springs Invitational on Saturday before falling to Watervliet.
The Lady Panthers, who have now won four tournament championships this year, defeated the Chieftains in the title match, 25-9, 19-25, 15-6.
Dowagiac reached the finals by winning its pool with a 4-2 overall record. Watervliet went 5-1 to capture its pool.
In the quarterfinals, Dowagiac defeated Lake Michigan Catholic, 25-18 and 25-16, while Watervliet defeated River Valley, 25-11 and 25-11.
In the other two quarterfinal contests, New Buffalo defeated host Berrien Springs, 23-25, 25-9 and 15-8, while Michigan Lutheran defeated Cassopolis, 18-25, 26-24 and 15-11.
In the semifinals, Dowagiac defeated New Buffalo, 25-23 and 25-23, while Watervliet defeated Michigan Lutheran, 25-19 and 25-17.
The Chieftains dropped the opening game of pool play to River Valley before catching fire and rolling into the quarterfinals.
Dowagiac split with the Lady Mustangs, 16-25 and 25-14. In their second match, Chieftains defeated Michigan Lutheran, 25-21 and 25-21, in the second round, while in the third round it split with New Buffalo, 21-25 and 25-16.
Cassopolis finished third in its pool with a 3-3 record.
The Lady Rangers split with Watervliet, 25-20 and 11-25, lost to Berrien Springs, 16-25 and 0-25, and swept Lake Michigan Catholic, 25-22 and 25-22.