The Lawrence High volleyball team forms a dog pile after its three-set win over Shawnee Mission Northwest in the sub-state championship game on Saturday at LHS.

As soon as Lawrence High’s volleyball players saw the ball flying through the air, several of them yelled in unison, “Out!”

Once the ball landed past the back line, the entire team dove into a pile in the middle of the court. After three sets against Shawnee Mission Northwest in front of their home crowd Saturday, which felt like a marathon with all of the momentum swings, they could finally celebrate.

The Lions earned a spot in the Class 6A state tournament for the first time since 2009, winning 25-19, 20-25, 25-22 in the sub-state championship at LHS.

In the third set, they held off a late charge from the second-seeded Cougars (28-11) by winning three of the final four points. Senior outside hitter Katelyn Mask didn’t shy away from the pressure, drilling two kills to set up match point.

“I was just thinking this is my senior year, my last chance,” said Mask, who totaled four kills in the final set.

After dropping the second set, the third-seeded Lions (26-11) talked in the huddle about matching SM Northwest’s energy and just focusing on each point. They took an early lead on three straight kills from junior Michaela Cordova, mixed in with a service ace from junior Baylee Unruh. Cordova led with five kills in the third set and 13 throughout the title match — “I was just thinking that there was no way I’m going to lose,” she said.

Tied at 19-all, they responded with back-to-back kills from juniors Abby Monroe and Brooke Wroten on assists from junior setter Laura Willoughby. Lawrence led the rest of the way.

“They showed a lot of grit,” Lawrence coach Stephanie Scarbrough said.

The Lions were thrilled with their defense, watching libero Lauren Maceli and defensive specialist Hannah Stewart dive to the floor to keep the ball in the air.

At the net, Lawrence recorded four blocks in the final set, including three from 5-foot-11 juniors Sammy Williams and Monroe. Each time Williams pieced a couple of kills in a row, the student section chanted her name.

“We just trust each other really well,” Mask said. “We’ve been playing together for a long time. We just know each other’s going to be there.”

A few minutes following the match, the Lions were put on speaker to talk to Brad Stoll, the school’s baseball coach who gave the team a motivational speech on Friday morning. Stoll and former volleyball coach Jo Huntsinger usually talk to the team during seasons.

“(Stoll) brought in a brick,” Cordova said. “He said, ‘You do not let this brick get in your way. These are your emotional blocks. They stop you from getting what you want.’ So now we’re going to sign the brick and give it to coach Stoll.”

The Lions advanced to the sub-state title match with a 25-15, 25-19 victory over Shawnee Mission East. It was the program’s first sub-state win since 2010.

Celebrating with classmates, family and former teammates on their home court afterward, the Lions said it felt better than they even imagined.

“It feels unreal,” said senior setter Laurel Bird, one of the team’s three seniors with Mask and Olivia Morgan. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet that we’re going to state. I’m just trying to live in this moment as much as I can.”

The 6A state tournament will begin on Friday afternoon at the Topeka Expocentre.