Republic ended 11 years of frustration against Kickapoo Tuesday night, rallying from two sets down for a dramatic 3-2 victory in the Class 5 District 6 tournament at Willard. For Republic’s four seniors, playing in what could have been their final match, it was a night they won’t soon forget.
“That last set had to have been the most fun set I’ve ever played,” senior Reese Frey said during a postgame interview, as fellow seniors Nevaeh Ghan, Adison Gibbs, and Kaylee Cornelsen nodded in agreement.
The comeback was especially sweet after Republic had lost to Kickapoo two weeks ago in similar fashion, winning the first two sets before watching the victory slip away.
The pattern of winning two sets before losing had haunted Republic against Kickapoo before. In the 2021 district tournament, Republic also won the first two sets before falling in five. This time, Republic flipped the script after dropping the first two sets 25-18 and 25-19.
Down 0-2, Davis challenged her team to stay mentally tough.
“In the huddle, I said this is a mental game,” Davis said. “This next set is all about a mental game and digging deep. Yesterday in practice, and even (at) the start of the game today, I said ‘No regrets.'”
Republic responded to that reminder by winning three straight sets: 25-19, 25-19, 15-6.
Frey recorded her 1,000th career assist during a pivotal run in the third set that put Republic in control for the first time. That momentum shift helped Republic take command, and the Lady Tigers dominated the rest of the match. Frey finished with 48 assists.
Gibbs led Republic with 18 kills, while Cornelsen anchored the defense with 21 digs.
Asked what changed in the final three sets, Davis pointed to her team’s execution and energy.
“Well, obviously our energy, we got up, we used that momentum, but then we started executing,” Davis said. “We found their weak spots and we started executing and being a smart volleyball team.”
The win was Republic’s first against Kickapoo since 2013. Republic had lost 21 of 22 matches to the Lady Chiefs before Tuesday’s win. It marked coach Allison Davis’s first victory over Kickapoo and Republic’s first postseason win against the Lady Chiefs after district losses in 2021 and 2023.
As Republic closed in on the milestone victory, Davis worked to maintain her composure on the sideline.
“I wanted to stay calm, but inside I was like, ‘We’re going to do it, we’re going to do it,'” she said. “I would love to take that win as a coach… but more importantly, I just wanted it for these girls. I knew they wanted it, and I’m just so stinking proud of them.”
Republic (14-16) advances to face Ozark (29-2) Friday at Willard.