NIXA, Mo. — With a berth in the quarterfinal round of the state volleyball tournament on the line, the Joplin Eagles suffered a season-ending setback to one of Missouri’s best teams.
Currently ranked third in Missouri by MaxPreps, Nixa upended Joplin 3-0 in a Class 5 sectional on Thursday night at Nixa High School. The set scores were 25-18, 25-11, 25-16.
This year’s Central Ozark Conference champion, Nixa (31-4) advanced to the quarterfinals, where they’ll travel to Rock Bridge (33-4) on Saturday.
Joplin ends the season with a record of 15-12-5.
In Desiree Felker’s first season at the helm, the Eagles captured a district championship for the first time since 1996 and were one win away from a quarterfinal berth.
Joplin’s departing seniors are Angelina Schramm, Allie Lawrence, Logan Bruggeman, Sydney Walker, Kacy Coss and Emma Floyd. Schramm, Floyd and Lawrence were the team’s leaders in kills this season.
Last year’s state runner-up, Nixa gained the momentum right away in each set.
The hosts, who went 9-0 in the COC, led 9-2 in the opening set. A pair of aces from Jena Medearis gave Nixa a 15-5 advantage.
But the visitors picked it up with an 11-6 run. Kills from Lawrence and Abby Edwards trimmed Joplin’s deficit to 21-16 before Nixa recorded four of the next six points to win the first set, with an ace from Sydney Golden.
In the second set, Nixa went up 15-4 after a kill from Medearis, an ace from Jaycee Fixsen and a Joplin attack error.
Joplin stayed within striking distance in the third set, trailing 13-10 and 17-14. But Nixa had too much firepower, as the hosts led 20-14 en route to the set and match victory.
