Ava Czarnecki’s closing statements send Lisbon to the Tri-Rivers volleyball tournament title

CENTRAL CITY — You’ve heard of fighters that “punch above their weight.”

Well, Ava Czarnecki hits above her height.

A junior outside hitter who lists herself at 5-foot-6, Czarnecki was Lisbon’s closer at the Tri-Rivers Conference volleyball tournament Saturday afternoon at Central City High School.

“She was a problem all day,” Lisbon Coach Lance Kamaus said.

A good problem to have, if she’s on your side.

In the championship match, Czarnecki registered the final two points of the first set and the final three of the second. That closed the door as Class 2A sixth-ranked Lisbon topped 1A No. 1 Springville, 25-22, 25-16.

“I just thought we did really well. We’re in a really good spot right now,” Czarnecki said, soft-spokenly.

With the teams in different divisions, and now in different classes, this was the first — and only — meeting of the season between the two Tri-Rivers goliaths.

“It was the win we wanted against the team we wanted it against,” Kamaus said.

Lisbon (36-2) played from ahead in both sets, sprinting to a 10-2 lead in Game 1 and a 13-5 margin in Game 2.

“Earlier in the day, we were struggling with our serve receive,” senior Peyton Robinson said. “When we’re on point with our passing, our hitters can finish.”

And that most definitely includes Czarnecki, whose jumping ability “comes from my dad,” she said.

Down eight points on two early occasions and still trailing 18-11 later on, Springville (34-3) chipped away and got within 21-20, 22-21 and 23-22.

Czarnecki’s kill got the Lions to set point, and her free-ball wallop ended the set.

“We stayed calm when they were rallying,” Robinson said. “We were confident in ourselves.”

The second set wasn’t as dramatic. Lisbon led 20-10, Springville got within 22-16, then Czarnecki’s kill-kill-kill finish sent the Lions home on top, their winning streak at 16 matches heading into the postseason series.

If you had to pick a winner before the championship match, you probably would have leaned toward Springville. The Orioles breezed past 1A No. 11 North Cedar, 25-11, 25-17, while the Lions had to grind out a 27-25, 25-23 victory over Edgewood-Colesburg.

“Ed-Co doesn’t let anything hit the floor,” Kamaus said. “It was a struggle. They were very, very good defensively, and I think it prepared us well for Springville.”

And then, as Robinson said:

“We saved our best for last.”

Tri-Rivers Conference Tournament

AT CENTRAL CITY

Quarterfinals

Lisbon def. North Linn, 25-18, 25-11

Edgewood-Colesburg def. Calamus-Wheatland, 25-17, 25-16

North Cedar def. Central City, 25-19, 25-18

Springville def. Clinton Prince of Peace, 25-20, 25-14

Consolation

Calamus-Wheatland def. North Linn, 18-21, 21-13, 19-17

Central City def. Clinton Prince of Peace, 21-17, 21-19

Semifinals

Lisbon def. Edgewood-Colesburg, 27-25, 25-23

Springville def. North Cedar, 25-11, 25-17

Championship

Lisbon def. Springville, 25-22, 25-16

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com