Lexington flirted with another state championship this season, falling just short of that goal.

But along the way, the Bears had reason to celebrate.

Melissa Hammond’s team survived a new, more difficult playoff format and the loss of several key players from last year’s squad to finish with another typical successful season.

Under Hammond’s guidance, Lexington won the first-ever North Super Regional and finished with a 45-10 record, falling to Providence Christian in the Class 2A championship match.

Lexington and Class 2A rival Hatton were the only local teams to reach the Elite Eight.

For those accomplishments, Hammond has been selected as the TimesDaily Volleyball Coach of the Year.

“It was a great year for us,” Hammond said. “We had four returning starters which helped a lot, but we also had some young players to step up and really help us out.”

Under Hammond’s leadership, the younger players found their groove and played with confidence in the postseason.

“They really got their confidence at the end,” Hammond said.

“That really helped us in the super regional and state tournaments. They really never seemed nervous.”