HUNTSVILLE -- Even down 2-0, Brookland refused to lose.
Brookland rallied from a 2-0 deficit Thursday and beat Baptist Prep 3-2 (21-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-12, 15-9) during the semifinals of the Class 4A state volleyball tournament at the AT & Georgia Mae Smith Activities Center.
Brookland, the two-time defending Class 4A state champion, will meet Wynne in the championship match at 7 p.m. on Saturday in Bank OZK Arena at Hot Springs.
Baptist Prep grabbed a 2-0 lead Thursday and appeared headed to Hot Springs to play for its third straight championship after winning the Class 3A state title the previous two seasons. But the momentum changed in the third set when Brookland scored the final five points of the set and won 25-21.
The Bearcats (39-5) were even stronger in the fourth set, winning 25-12, and they controlled the action to win 15-9 in the deciding fifth set.
"The first two sets, I felt like we didn't have our feet in the gym yet," Brookland Coach Nancy Rodriguez said. "We couldn't find any holes. We couldn't find out way. But when we won the third set, that's when I thought we began to trust the process and play as a team."
Brookland was led in the match by three seniors -- middle blocker Chloe Rodriguez, outside hitter Evan Polsgrove and Burkeley Brewer, a defensive specialist.
"After that third set, I felt like everybody stepped up," Rodriguez said. "Macie Murray, our junior, made some good plays and served some good balls."
The first match was tied 21-21 when Baptist Prep (32-8-1) scored four consecutive points to win 25-21. Summer O'Dell provided a key block and a point for Baptist Prep before Addie Fielder ended the set with a kill. Baptist Prep also won the second set 25-21 after jumping to leads of 9-3 and 15-7.
Brookland rushed onto the court to celebrate after securing the fifth set and a trip to Hot Springs to play for another state title. On the other side, Baptist Prep Coach Krista Spoon displayed a sense of sportsmanship when she went over to congratulate Rodriguez.
"We've known this match was going to happen, probably, since early December," Spoon said. "We had this circled on the calendar. Brookland is a great team and it was a fun night. I wish it had turned out differently. But we lost to a team that was amazing."
WYNNE 3, MENA 1
Wynne beat Mena 22-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-14 to advance to Saturday's state final.
Wynne was mostly in control Thursday after rallying from an 0-2 series deficit ton eliminate Pulaski Academy on Wednesday.
Wynne and Mena entered the pivotal third set Thursday tied 1-1. That's when Wynne rallied from a 16-9 deficit to win 25-23. Wynne continued its momentum and forced a timeout by Mena after surging ahead 9-2. But the break did not slow the Yellowjackets, who won 25-14.
Mena won the opening set 25-22.