Lady Eagles Push Top Seed to the Brink in Conference Tournament Battle

SALEMBURG, NC — The East Bladen Lady Eagles volleyball team traveled to Lakewood High School Tuesday night with momentum on their side and proved they can hang with one of the 1A classication’s elite programs.

After dispatching West Columbus 3-0 in the opening round of the Carolina 1A/2A Conference Tournament, the Lady Eagles squared off against top-seeded East Columbus in a second-round showdown that came down to the final points.

East Columbus entered the match with an intimidating 17-1 record, ranked fourth in the entire 1A NCHSAA RPI rankings and projected as the No. 4 seed in the 1A East Playoff Bracket.

The numbers suggested a mismatch on paper, but the Lady Eagles had other plans.

East Bladen stormed out of the gates, claiming the first set 25-20 before edging the Gators 25-23 in a nail-biting second set to take a commanding 2-0 lead.

The upset bid was very much alive as the Lady Eagles pushed one of the classification’s best teams to the edge.

East Columbus responded with championship poise in the third set, rallying for a 25-21 victory to stay alive. The Gators found their rhythm in the fourth set, pulling away 25-14 to force a decisive fifth set.

In the winner-take-all final frame, East Bladen battled until the end but ultimately fell 15-12 as East Columbus advanced with a hard-fought 3-2 victory.

The performance capped a remarkable turnaround for the Lady Eagles, who finished their regular season 7-15 overall but found their identity when it mattered most.

East Bladen went 4-2 over their final six matches, closing the regular season at 6-7 in conference play and positioning themselves for postseason action.

Now the Lady Eagles shift their focus to the NCHSAA 2A State Playoffs. Current projections have East Bladen as the No. 19 seed, with a potential first-round matchup at No. 14 Gates County on the horizon.

Official playoff brackets and matchups will be released Wednesday, October 16th.

Stay tuned to BladenCo Sports for complete playoff coverage as the Lady Eagles continue their journey.

Follow BladenCo Sports on Facebook and Instagram @BladenCoSports for updates, highlights, and coverage of all Bladen County athletics. Full playoff bracket information and analysis coming soon at Bladencosports.com.

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Lady Eagles Push Top Seed to the Brink in Conference Tournament Battle