Winter Springs coach Kimberly Vach goes for win No. 400 on Saturday. In the Class 7A state championship match, no less.
Vach and her Titan’s team defeated Lakewood Ranch 3-1 (25-20, 22-25, 30-28, 25-13) in the semifinals for a spot in the title game against St. Thomas Aquinas, winners over Steinbrenner. BHSN will carry the action LIVE on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
The victory was Vach’s 399th career win. Her team handled a feisty Lakewood Ranch squad to put her in position for win No. 400.
After splitting the first two sets, the team’s exchanged six-consecutive sideouts early on and five-consecutive sideouts midway through the third. Strong service from Lakewood Ranch’s Kahlee York led to five-straight points for the Mustangs and tied the set at 23-all.
The teams would tie it up six more times and Lakewood Ranch fought off four set points, but Winter Springs was able to string together consecutive points, including one of Bailey Johnson’s 16 kills, for a 2-1 lead.
In the final set, Lakewood Ranch’s fatigue was apparent. And they never were able to provide an answer to the Bears’ Payton Caffrey, who led her team with a tournament-high 34 kills. York led Lakewood Ranch with 14 kills, followed by Nicole Grant (13).