By By SCOTT NOVAK / Vigilant/Argus
BERRIEN SPRINGS - A fast start wasn't enough for the Brandywine Bobcats to earn a piece of the Lakeland Conference championship.
The Bobcats won the first game of the league tournament championship match, but fell to the Coloma Comets in three games.
Brandywine took the opening game 25-22 and were up 20-15 in the second game against the Comets before Coloma took charge.
The Lady Comets stormed back to win the second game 25-21 and then totally dominated the Lady Bobcats in the third and final game, 25-11.
Brandywine and Coloma both came into the semifinals after going 6-0 in pool play.
The Lady Bobcats defeated Edwardsburg in the semifinals, 25-17 and 5-18, while Coloma defeated Berrien Springs in its semifinal match, 25-17 and 25-16.
Against Edwardsburg, Brandywine starter Nikki Cooper rolled her ankle during the first game with the Lady Bobcats trailing 16-13.
Brandywine pulled together and outscored the Lady Eddies 12-1 to take the opening game.
Brandywine trailed 4-0 in the second game against Edwardsburg, but rallied to take control.
In the finals, Brandywine raced out to 20-15 lead only to have Coloma come charging back.
The Lady Comets tied the match at 20-20, however, Nikki Martyniuk's spike and Cooper's ace gave the Lady Bobcats a 22-20 lead which it would not relinquish.
In the second game the two teams battled back and forth with Coloma building up a 21-14 lead before the Lady Bobcats rallied.
Cooper served up five consecutive points as Brandywine cut the lead to 23-21 on a spike by Emily Whitney.
That would be as close as the Lady Bobcats would get however.
It was all Coloma in the deciding game.
The Lady Comets raced out to a 4-0 lead and never looked back, leading by as much as 22-9.
In reaching the finals, Brandywine defeated Bridgman (25-18 and 25-17), River Valley (25-15 and 25-19) and Berrien Springs (25-14 and 25-13).
Edwardsburg went 4-2 in pool play, while Cassopolis was 1-5 in pool play.
Sarah Lange had 38 assists, while Chrissy Breisch had 14 kills and Susanna Martino 13 kills.
Shelley Roberts had 14 aces and Sam Fritschi nine aces.
Roberts also had 71 digs, while Megan Moyer had 47 digs.
Eddies win at Constantine
CONSTANTINE - The Edwardsburg varsity volleyball team defeated host Lady Falcons to win the Constantine Mini Tournament.
Edwardsburg defeated the Lady Falcons in the title match, 29-31, 25-19 and 15-13.
In the semifinals, Edwardsburg defeated Martin, 25-18 and 25-15. Constantine defeated Brandywine, 25-20, 23-25 and 15-9.
Breisch and Roberts led the team with 24 and 20 kills respectively.
Roberts also led with 36 digs, while Brooke Pickrell added 24 digs.
The Lady Eddies also got 12 and 10 aces from Lange and Sheila Stoops.
Lange finished with 37 assists. Nikki Thompson finished with 30.