In Nebraska, conference tournament time is kind of like that final tune-up before the postseason begins. For teams that advance out of Monday’s games to the winner’s bracket, you can almost guarantee yourself two good tests in the semifinals and last day of the competition. Two area teams passed their first test on Tuesday evening while three more competed in both ECNC and Pioneer Conference action.

In Wymore, Falls City Sacred Heart was the first area team in action on Tuesday evening in the semifinals of the Pioneer Conference. They took on an Exeter-Milligan-Friend (EMF) team who came into the match 18-5 on the season. The Irish battled but were unable to come away with a win as EMF swept the three-game set 25-17, 25-18, 25-15.

Following that game, two area teams competed for their spot in Saturday’s Championship match. Johnson-Brock met an underdog Pawnee City Indians team in the semifinals. Pawnee City, the #7 seed coming into the tournament, won two games on Monday night defeating Sterling (#10), and then upsetting the heavily favored Lourdes Central Catholic (#2) in game two. It was a Lourdes team who had already swept Pawnee City once this season.

However, on Tuesday night, it was all Johnson-Brock as the Eagles came out firing in the first set and never looked back in a 25-12, 25-20, 25-10 sweep of the Indians. The win drops Pawnee City to the 3^rd place match against Sacred Heart while the Eagles will take on EMF in the championship. Both the 3^rd place and championship matches will be aired on Sunny 101.3 on Saturday.

In ECNC action, two area teams battled it out on Tuesday for their spot in Thursday’s championship match. The Auburn Bulldogs came into the match with Johnson County Central (JCC) winners of five straight. However, the Thunderbirds would be their stiffest test during this stretch. JCC is undefeated on the season – a perfect 24-0 heading into Tuesday. It’s not just that the T-Birds are undefeated though. They’ve absolutely dominated their opponents this year. In their 24 games prior to Tuesday night, The T-Birds had lost just three SETS the entire year. I’ll say that again – in volleyball SETS on the season, the T-Birds had won 55 sets while losing just 3 coming into Tuesday’s match.

Tuesday’s game appeared to be an uphill climb for the Bulldogs and the T-Birds did what they do best. Win. JCC swept Auburn in three straight sets 25-9, 25-16, 25-18 for their 25^th win of the season and remain a perfect 25-0 heading into Thursday’s final. The loss drops Auburn into the 3^rd place match where they’ll still need to bring their A game. An upset in the bottom side of the bracket will see the Bulldogs meeting up with Freeman (the #2 seed) on Thursday. The Falcons had lost just three matches coming into the night – two of those to JCC. The T-Birds will take on Elmwood-Murdock in the championship.

You can catch all of the ECNC championship and 3^rd place action live on Sunny 101.3 Thursday. A reminder that you can listen on the air, online at mscsports.net, or on our free MSC radio app.