With a sub-state win over Fairview, the Lady Eagles of Jacksonville are once again on their way back to the Elite Eight State Volleyball Championships at the Pelham Civic Center.

Jacksonville (43-7) will take on St. James (30-19) Wednesday at 3:30 with the winner advancing to play the winner of the Alabama-Christian (19-17) Lawrence County (42-21) match in the semi-finals Wednesday night at 8:30.

The state championship match will be Thursday at 4:30.

Jacksonville flew through the match with Fairview, winning in three games 25-10, 25-13, 25-11.

Setter Meagan Cabrer had 20 assists, five kills, four blocks, three aces and one dig.

Taylor Palmer led with 13 kills, eight blocks and two aces; Haley Jackson added seven kills, three blocks and one dig and Caroline Neisler six kills, nine digs and one ace.

Jacksonville, under Coach David Clark, returns to the Elite Eight for the 14th time in 17 years. To say that the Lady Eagles volleyball team is strong is a gross understatement. Coach Clark has assembled a well-oiled machine and has a volleyball program that is both feared and respected by coaches around the state.

While no one doubted that the Lady Eagles would repeat as state champions last year, there have been many "nay-sayers" that predict the Lady Eagles can't pull off the hat trick.

It is true that Jacksonville lost three top players last year, Elizabeth Neisler, Laura Risse and Leah Bell, now all playing at the college level.

Back with the Lady Eagles this year are senior veterans Taylor Palmer, who has been at the Elite Eight four years and Caroline Neisler and Meagan Cabrer, who have been at the tournament three straight years playing in the last two.

All three extremely talented players will be playing at the college level next year.

Combine in that mix Allender Doggett who has been with the team the last two years, and the addition of hitters sophomore Haley Jackson and junior Emily Torruella and Jacksonville once again is a force to be reckoned with.

Seniors Shelby Coffman and Destiny Deramus and sophomore Lana Bell help to make the Jacksonville back row solid.

It is also true that the Lady Eagles, while very strong this year, have not been as dominate as they were last year when they won all the tournaments they entered. Coach Clark put his team in major tournaments this year to prepare them for what lies ahead of them this week, and even though they didn't win each tournament, they were right there at the top. The Lady Eagles took silver at the Capitol City Jubilee, second in the Southeastern Challenge and silver at the Shrimp Festival Tournament in Gulf shores.

The team did once again prove its dominance in Calhoun County winning the County Championship went undefeated in area play and won the Region C championship.

It is also true that Jacksonville was ranked No.1 in the state all year last year, finishing No.1. This year they have been No.2 to top ranked Guntersville (59-7).

Clark isn't worried about any of this. Complacency from making it to the Elite Eight so many times is not going to be a problem with this veteran group.

"I think it's a more positive than negative situation for us," said Clark. "Anytime you are used to a situation you are more relaxed."

Clark will be taking five girls that haven't been to the Elite Eight before. "The older ones will keep the younger ones calm when we start on Wednesday. For the ones that haven't been in that situation or played at Pelham there will be a little bit at the beginning that they'll have to deal with but I think we'll be fine. We've been in a lot of big games already."

Jacksonville will face St. James first, a team that Clark describes as being, "well-coached and very solid."

While the Lady Eagles must make it by St. James and the semi-finals, there is always Guntersville looming on the horizon. The Lady Eagles faced Guntersville only once this year, losing 3-1. "They had a lot of energy when we went up there," says Clark. "We're not going to play them in a harder environment than when we had to go up there on senior night.

"The pressure is on them. They have been No.1 all year. It is going to take extra to get by them this year but I think it is possible."

His veteran players agree. "I think it is definitely an advantage we lost to Guntersville," says Neisler. "I remember three years ago we were like Guntersville, in that position when we had beat Saks many times. I think it is better for us being the underdog because we want to win that much more."

Cabrer feels the team will play harder at the Elite Eight because of the people who don't think a three-peat is possible. "It's an extra incentive. It has made us work all that much harder and try that much harder. I think it will have a big impact on how we play when we get down there."

As to whether another Elite Eight is becoming "ho-hum" Palmer replied. "Definitely the excitement is the same. It's kind of sad in a way because this is our last year and the last chance to represent JHS and try to come back with a state championship. But the excitement is definitely there. We want to go out with a big senior win."

Palmer says that to the younger girls she will give the advice; "I will tell them to just play volleyball, all it is is just another game. Play with heart, play with desire, play to win, but just play the game."