SIDNEY - Senior Alecca Campbell recorded three consecutive kills to break a 12-12 tie in the fifth set to send the Sidney Lady Raiders to Wednesday night’s championship game of the B-8 sub-district at the Cabela’s Athletic Facility. Campbell ended up with 26 kills on the night as top-seeded Sidney outlasted fourth seeded Gering 25-16, 23-25, 25-20, 13-25, 15-12.

Sidney came out swinging in the first semifinal Tuesday night against Gering, knocking down 17 kills on the way to a 21-10 lead. The Lady Raiders added a two more kills to take a 1-0 lead with a convincing 25-16 win.

Sidney and Gering traded punches in the second set, as neither team could build more than a three-point lead. Sidney’s came at 12-9 but Gering’s came at 22-19. The Bulldogs held on to even the match with a 25-23 win.

Gering looked like they were going to keep the momentum going as the Bulldogs got off to a strong start. With the set tied at 13, the Lady Raiders went on a 13-7 run to take a two sets to one lead.

Something that has been a weakness for the Lady Raiders most of the season has been consistency. Sidney, inexplicably, seems to take a set off in the middle of a match. Tuesday, that was the fourth set against Gering. The Bulldogs bolted to an 8-3 lead and finished on a 15-3 run to even the match at 2 sets apiece with a 25-13 win.

Gering started the fifth set by jumping out to a 5-2 lead before Sidney fought back to tie the deciding set at 6-6. From there the set was tied at 7, 8, 11, and 12 until Campbell’s three kills vaulted Sidney into the finals.

Alecca Campbell’s 26 kills paced three Lady Raiders with double figure kills. Karsyn Leelin knocked down 18 kills while Gabby Fortner added 15 kills in the Sidney win. During the match Sidney Libero Rheagan Stanley set a new Sidney volleyball record for digs in a season.

Gering was led by Maddie Ray with 13 kills while Cami Newman and Carleigh Pszanka added 10 kills each.

Sidney will face Scottsbluff at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday night in the B-8 Sub-District championship game at Sidney High School. The third seeded Bearcats eliminated the number two seed Alliance 23-25, 25-21, 25-13, 25-22 to earn a spot in the final.