GAHANNA — The dream ended one step too soon for the Mount Vernon boys volleyball team.
The Jackets, who have advanced to the state tournament the last three years, came up one step short Saturday, falling in three sets to Hilliard Davidson in the Division I regional finals at Gahanna.
“We looked out of sync. It wasn’t a good day,” said Mount Vernon coach Alan Cassell. “It’s been a great year, though. We only had one starter back and nobody expected us to be here. So, it’s pretty good to be in the sweet 16, even though today is kind of a let down.”
The first set went back and forth before Hilliard Davidson was able to gain control. A four-point run, followed by another five-point run helped the Wildcats to a 25-17 victory.
Davidson took control of the second set early, leading 17-11 at one point. But, the Jackets (17-9) scored four straight, which included a tremendous block from sophomore Aaron Nixon, to close the gap. Davidson (22-6) righted the ship after a time out, and went on to win 25-22.

