CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — The Webb City Cardinals still have an opportunity to finish the 2022 season with a win.
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they just won’t be concluding their stellar campaign where they’d hoped—in a state championship game.
Webb City suffered a 3-0 setback to Incarnate Word Academy on Thursday afternoon in a semifinal contest of the MSHSAA Class 4 Volleyball Championships inside the Show Me Center on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University.
“We didn’t play anything like we’d played the last four games,” Webb City coach Rhonda Lawrence said. “We didn’t play anywhere close to how we’d been playing. We were too worried about what they were doing. We needed to stick to what we do really well. We were hesitant and worried about their big girl. And hesitation never wins in volleyball.”
Webb City junior libero Sophia Crane passes to a teammate during Thursday’s Class 4 semifinal against Incarnate Word at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. Photo by Gordon Radford.
With the loss, Webb City (32-5-2) will meet Platte County (26-10) at 8 p.m. later tonight for third place.
“We have to get our mental frame back where it needs to be for high-level competition,” Coach Lawrence said. “We have to get ready for the third-place game. We can still end the season with a win. And not many teams get to do that.”
The Cardinals were in uncharted territory on Thursday, as they competed in a state semifinal for the first time in school history.
Webb City senior Brenda Lawrence is pictured during Thursday’s semifinal match at the Show Me Center. Photo by Gordon Radford.
The Cardinals held their own with the Red Knights early.
The opening set featured 10 ties, the last coming at 13-13 following kills from Webb City senior outside hitters Brenda Lawrence and Kate Brownfield.
But at that point, Incarnate Word grabbed the momentum for good, reeling off five straight points and finishing the first set on a 12-4 run.
The second and third sets played out similarly, as the Red Knights doubled up the Cardinals at 16-8 both times en route to victory.
In both sets, Webb City simply was unable to come from behind after trailing by eight.
Incarnate Word’s attackers were able to find the holes in Webb City’s defense while the Cardinals struggled to do the same. The Cardinals also had three service errors late in the second set that proved costly.
In the third set, the Red Knights took a commanding 21-10 lead before finishing off the sweep.
“We made a lot of unforced errors and lost confidence,” Coach Lawrence said. “We gave them too many points in every set. They’re a very good team and they earned their own points. But you can’t win volleyball games giving away points like that. We just didn’t play like we’d been playing. Incarnate Word did what they do well and we didn’t play our game.”
The 5-foot-10 Brownfield led the Cardinals with 13 kills, while her classmate Brenda Lawrence added seven kills and Aubree Lassiter, a 6-foot junior, contributed five kills.
Senior setter Kyah Sanborn handed out 25 assists, while junior libero Sophia Crane recorded a team-high eight digs.
Tara Greenberry, a 6-3 sophomore middle hitter, recorded 14 kills for Incarnate Word. Sophomore outside hitter Ellie Witthaus added 10 kills for the Red Knights. Sammi Bergjans dished out 31 assists and Abby Freund had 15 digs.
In an all-St. Louis area state championship match, Incarnate Word (29-12) meets Westminster Christian (31-2-5) at 2 p.m. on Friday.
Webb City’s Kirra Long and Aubree Lassiter block at the net against Incarnate Word during the Class 4 semifinals at the Show Me Center. All photos by Gordon Radford for SoMo Sports.
Brenda Lawrence slams a kill at the net against Incarnate Word on Thursday at the Show Me Center.
Kate Brownfield hits at the net against Incarnate Word during Thursday’s Class 4 semifinal at the Show Me Center. All photos by Gordon Radford.
The Webb City High School volleyball team is set to make history.
Webb City (32-4-2) will meet Incarnate Word (28-12) in the semifinals of the MSHSAA Class 4 state tournament at 2 p.m. on Thursday at the Show Me Center on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.
Battle-tested from playing in the always-tough Central Ozark Conference, Webb City is in the semifinals of the state tourney for the first time in program history.
After capturing the District 6 championship, the Cardinals knocked off Helias Catholic 3-2 in the quarterfinal round. Webb City came back from a 2-1 deficit in the matchup with the Crusaders.
Incarnate Word beat Parkway Central 3-1 in the quarterfinals. The Red Knights are in the semifinals for the first time since 2017.
Thursday’s other Class 4 semifinal will feature Platte County (26-9) against defending champion Westminster Christian (30-2-5).
The semifinal losers will play for third place at 8 on Thursday night. The championship match is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday.
Webb City coach Rhonda Lawrence talks to her team during a timeout during Saturday’s Class 4 quarterfinal matchup with Helias Catholic. The Cardinals won the match to advance to the state semifinals for the first time in school history. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE CARDINALS
Webb City’s starting lineup features senior outside hitters Brenda Lawrence and Kate Brownfield, senior setter Kyah Sanborn, senior defensive specialist Jenna Noel, junior outside hitter Aubree Lassiter, junior libero Sophia Crane and freshman middle hitter Jaeli Rutledge.
Sophomore middle blocker Kirra Long also sees playing time off the bench.
Lawrence, Brownfield, Lassiter and Rutledge give the Cardinals plenty of firepower at the net.
The 5-foot-10 Lawrence has recorded 306 kills this season, while the 6-foot Lassiter has 291 kills. The 5-10 Brownfield has 270 kills and the 6-1 Rutledge has 188.
Sanborn has handed out a team-high 972 assists from the setter position, while Crane has recorded 500 digs and 54 aces, both team highs.
The Cardinals haven’t lost a match since Oct. 6. Since then, they’re 11-0-1.
Also of note, Webb City has more than 30 wins in a season for the first time in school history. The Cardinals captured a district championship for the second straight year and for the third time in four seasons.
The Cardinals, who won tourney titles at Carl Junction and Willard during the regular season, are led by head coach Rhonda Lawrence. She is assisted by Jason Brown, Olivia Lewis and Mollie Keene.
WEBB CITY, Mo. — The Webb City Cardinals wouldn’t be denied.
Webb City started fast and finished strong en route to a thrilling and hard-fought 3-2 victory over Helias Catholic on Saturday afternoon in a quarterfinal contest of the MSHSAA Class 4 state volleyball tournament inside a packed Cardinal Dome.
The Cardinals beat the Crusaders 25-11, 24-26, 17-25, 25-21, 15-10 to advance to the Final Four for the first time in school history.
“This is incredible,” Webb City senior outside hitter Brenda Lawrence said while her teammates celebrated with family and friends close by. “We made history today. I think from the very beginning of the season we’ve wanted this so bad. The unity was there, the team was ready and we were in the right mindset today. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy and we knew they wanted it just as bad as we did. We knew we had to win it as a team, not as individuals.”
Webb City senior Brenda Lawrence serves against Helias on Saturday. Photos by Shawn Fowler.
Webb City (32-4-2) will meet Incarnate Word (28-12) in the Class 4 semifinals at 2 p.m. on Thursday at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.
“I’m super excited and I can’t be more grateful to the kids for buying in,” Cardinals coach Rhonda Lawrence said. “I’m so proud of them. From the time they’ve been little, they bought in and they wanted to be here. I’m so happy for them to get the chance to show out. They deserve it. They’ve put in a lot of years of work. We’ve been supported by the community all season long. They continue to push us. Our student section today…you couldn’t ask for more.”
A trip to the state finals has been a longtime goal for this year’s group, Coach Lawrence noted.
“From the beginning of the season, we talked about goals,” Coach Lawrence said. “We wanted to win the conference, but we stumbled against Nixa. We had to use that to get better. Every loss has made us better this year. But the Final Four was the ultimate goal from Day 1.”
In order to advance, the Cardinals had to overcome a 2-1 deficit, as the visiting Crusaders appeared in control of the match after winning the second and third sets.
“I thought we had the momentum after the second and third sets, but Webb City just would not be denied in their home gym,” Helias coach David Harris said. “They served very tough, their serve-receive was really good and their hitters didn’t make many unforced errors. We had some missed serves and some unforced errors. In the fifth set, Webb City came out on fire and they kind of served us off the court. That’s the best serving team we’ve faced all year.”
Backed by a raucous home crowd, Webb City stormed out of the gates in the opening set. The Cardinals, who never trailed in the first set, held leads of 4-0 and 8-4. A kill from junior outside hitter Aubree Lassiter and a pair of service points from senior setter Kyah Sanborn gave the Cardinals a 17-9 advantage.
Brenda Lawrence served three aces late in the opening set before senior outside hitter Kate Brownfield slammed a kill on set point.
Webb City wasn’t able to hold on to the momentum, however, as Helias stormed back and won the second and third sets to take a 2-1 lead.
The Crusaders led 21-11 in the second set before the Cardinals rallied. Webb City used a 12-2 run to tie the set at 23. A kill from Brenda Lawrence briefly gave the Cardinals the lead, but the Crusaders rattled off three straight points to take the second set, with Chapel Dobbs serving an ace and Josie Morasch slamming a set-ending kill.
The Crusaders led 11-3 and 20-12 en route to winning the third set.
Trailing 2-1 in the match, Webb City had to win the fourth set to keep the season alive. And the Cardinals did just that.
“We knew if we played our game and went to our strengths, we really had a better team and a better overall balanced attack,” Coach Lawrence said. “We had to get back to doing that. We needed to play with more aggression.”
In the fourth set, Webb City never trailed after taking a 5-4 advantage. The Cardinals took a 15-11 lead after kills from freshman Jaeli Rutledge, Brownfield and Sanborn. Late kills from Sanborn and Brownfield sent the match to a deciding fifth set.
In the final set, Webb City took the lead for good on junior libero Sophia Crane’s ace that made it 4-2.
Webb City libero Sophia Crane had 23 digs in Saturday’s match against Helias.
Brenda Lawrence came alive at the net, hammering home three kills to extend the hosts’ cushion. An ace from Sanborn gave the Cardinals a 10-3 lead.
The Crusaders (29-7-3) didn’t go down quietly, but the Cardinals were the first team to 15. With that, the Cardinals were also the team celebrating a historic win.
“In the fifth set, you know you need to get on it quick,” Coach Lawrence said. “You’ve got to be on your game. Brenda got real ticked off in the fourth set. She went off in the fifth set. That was one of the toughest games we’ve had all year. I think it made us better.”
Brenda Lawrence compiled 15 kills, 10 digs and six aces, while Brownfield had 19 digs and nine kills.
Lassiter contributed five kills, six digs and four solo blocks, while Rutledge had six kills and two blocks.
Sanborn compiled 33 assists, 12 digs, five kills, three aces and two blocks. Crane recorded a team-high 23 digs and three aces, while senior Jenna Noel chipped in 11 digs and sophomore Kirra Long had two solo blocks.
Kate Brownfield hits at the net against Helias.
The Cardinals, who won a second straight district title and the third in four years, are now guaranteed two more matches this fall.
On Thursday, a spot in the state championship game will be up for grabs.
“If we can keep on getting better and if we can keep pushing ourselves, great things are going to happen,” said Coach Lawrence, who is assisted by Jason Brown, Olivia Lewis and Mollie Keene.
Thursday’s other Class 4 semifinal will feature Platte County (26-9) vs. Westminster Christian (30-2-5).
The semifinal losers will play for third place at 8 on Thursday night. The state title match is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4.
Webb City’s players and coaches celebrate after Helias called a timeout during Saturday’s Class 4 quarterfinal at the Cardinal Dome. Photos by Shawn Fowler.
Kyah Sanborn sets up a teammate during Saturday’s match against Helias Catholic.
Brenda Lawrence lunges for a dig attempt on Saturday.
Webb City freshman Jaeli Rutledge goes up for a kill attempt during Saturday’s match.
Aubree Lassiter serves against Helias Catholic during the Class 4 quarterfinal.
Webb City’s student section is pictured during Saturday’s match. Webb City won the quarterfinal matchup 3-2 to advance to the Final Four in Cape Girardeau. Photos by Shawn Fowler.
WILLARD, Mo. — For the second straight season, and for the third time in four years, the Webb City Cardinals have captured a district championship.
In a clash between familiar foes, top-seeded Webb City defeated second-seeded Carl Junction 3-0 on Tuesday night in the championship match of the MSHSAA Class 4 District 6 volleyball tournament at Willard High School.
The Cardinals beat the Bulldogs 25-19, 25-17, 25-12.
“I’m feeling great and I’m just super proud of the kids,” Cardinals coach Rhonda Lawrence said. “They’ve been very intentional all season and it showed again tonight. Carl Junction is always a tough team and we knew they were going to bring it. Tonight was another great hard-fought fight. The rivalry continues, and I’m just happy we’re on top for two years in a row.”
Webb City (31-4-2) will host Helias Catholic (29-6-3) at 1 p.m. on Saturday in a quarterfinal contest of the state tournament.
“I’m super excited,” Lawrence said. “We’ve never got to host before. We’ll be packing the Dome for sure. We just need to stick to what we do best. We do a lot of things really well and we can’t be too worried about what’s coming at us.”
The Webb City Cardinals celebrate Tuesday’s win.
Coach Lawrence confirmed to SoMo Sports that this is the first time in school history that a Webb City volleyball team has surpassed 30 wins in a season.
“I can’t say enough about how much these girls have grown and improved since last year,” Lawrence said. “They’ve bought in and that’s why we’re where we’re at tonight. I’m pretty proud of them. We’ve made a lot of history this year.”
It was the fourth straight season the Cardinals and Bulldogs have met for a district championship. Webb City won last year’s meeting and the matchup in 2019, while Carl Junction won the clash in ’20. The Bulldogs also knocked off the Cardinals in the district semifinals in ’18.
Webb City won both of the matchups with the Bulldogs in the regular season — the conference clash and the championship match of the CJ Classic.
Of course, it’s never easy beating the same team three times in one season. Lawrence noted that scenario provided extra motivation for Tuesday’s win-or-go-home matchup.
“We were fired up for that,” Lawrence said. “It’s hard to beat someone three times, but we knew we’d already beat them twice and we should rely on that for confidence. We knew they didn’t have Lo (Jones) in our first match with them and then she had just gotten back the second time we played them. But it does help to play against a team that you see a lot. You know what’s coming at you. And these kids have played against each other since they were little.”
Carl Junction was playing for a district title for the seventh straight season, but the Cardinals simply had too much firepower.
Always a key to victory, Webb City was the first team to 15 and to 20 in all three sets.
“That’s always a big thing,” Lawrence said. “Getting to 15 first and getting to 20 first makes a huge difference. Volleyball is a mental game and I feel like we attacked tonight. We are multifaceted from where we can attack from…that’s what I love about this team. It makes us hard to defend and hard to shut down.”
In the opening set, the Cardinals took a 10-6 lead after kills from senior outside hitter Brenda Lawrence and junior outside hitter Aubree Lassiter, along with a solo block from Lassiter.
The Bulldogs stayed close with kills from junior Kylie Scott and sophomore Karissa Chase, but the Cardinals finished the first set on a 6-2 run.
The Cardinals led 9-7 in the second set when they gained all of the momentum and used an 11-3 run to take a 2-0 lead.
During a key stretch, Webb City sophomore Kirra Long recorded a block at the net, Lassiter slammed a kill and the Bulldogs committed three straight attack errors.
Webb City took control of the third set early with an 8-1 lead, but the Bulldogs didn’t go down without a fight, as CJ pulled within two at 10-8 on Scott’s kill.
But the Cardinals wouldn’t be denied. Freshman middle hitter Jaeli Rutledge hammered home a kill and junior libero Sophia Crane served an ace before late kills from Lassiter and senior outside hitter Kate Brownfield secured the set and match victory.
Lassiter and Brenda Lawrence recorded 10 kills apiece for the Cardinals, while Rutledge had seven kills and Brownfield added six kills to go along with seven digs.
Crane had a team-high 11 digs, while senior setter Kyah Sanborn handed out 30 assists and added six digs. Jenna Noel, another senior, had five digs.
Scott led the Bulldogs with nine kills, while senior outside hitter Destiny Buerge recorded 10 digs and eight kills.
Senior setter Logan Jones handed out 25 assists for the Bulldogs, while junior defensive specialist Sara Buchele added seven digs, junior Aubreigh Fowler had three blocks and Chase chipped in six kills.
Carl Junction ends the season at 22-11-2.
“When you win 22 matches, you’ve had a good season,” Bulldogs coach Cheryl Sharples said. “And we finished in the top 16 in Class 4. I’m proud of my kids and the work they put in this year.”
The Bulldogs said goodbye to seniors Jones, Buerge, Adia Kennedy and Jocelyn Brown.
“Our seniors have been a big part of our program since their freshmen year,” Sharples noted. “They have contributed to over 100 wins in their careers.”
An all-state performer who will continue her volleyball career at Arkansas, Jones concluded her stellar prep career as the program’s all-time leader in assists.
Notes: Helias Catholic defeated Jefferson City 3-2 for the District 5 title.
Saturday’s quarterfinal winner will advance to the state Final Four in Cape Girardeau on Nov. 3-4.
The Webb City Cardinals pose with the district championship plaque and bracket on Tuesday night at Willard High School. Photo by Jason Peake.
WILLARD, Mo. — Top-seeded Webb City and second-seeded Carl Junction both cruised to straight set victories in the quarterfinal round of the MSHSAA Class 4 District 6 tournament on Saturday at Willard High School.
Webb City defeated eighth-seeded Parkview 25-6, 25-6, 25-11, while Carl Junction topped seventh-seeded McDonald County 25-2, 25-9, 25-10.
In Monday’s semifinals, the Cardinals (29-4-2) will take on fourth-seeded Glendale (16-12-3) at 5 p.m. and the Bulldogs (21-10-2) will play third-seeded Branson (19-11-3) at 7.
In Saturday’s win, Webb City’s Kate Brownfield recorded eight kills, eight digs and five aces to lead the Cardinals, while Brenda Lawrence served nine aces to go along with five kills. Jaeli Rutledge added eight kills, while Aubree Lassiter contributed five kills.
Webb City’s Kyah Sanborn compiled 20 assists and five digs from the setter position.
In Carl Junction’s win over the Mustangs, Karissa Chase recorded nine kills and four blocks, Destiny Buerge had seven kills and Kylie Scott contributed seven digs and six kills.
CJ’s Jocelyn Brown had eight digs and Adia Kennedy recorded four blocks, while senior setter Lo Jones handed out 29 assists.
Also of note, Carl Junction’s coaching staff told SoMo Sports that Brown had 22 consecutive service points in the opening set.
The Mustangs concluded the season with a record of 9-22-2.
In Saturday’s other action, Glendale defeated fifth-seeded Hillcrest 3-0 (27-25, 25-18, 25-18) and Branson topped sixth-seeded Willard 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-20).
The district title game is scheduled for 6 on Tuesday night.
SEASON ENDS FOR NEOSHO
REPUBLIC, Mo. — The Neosho Wildcats saw the 2022 season come to an end on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the Class 5 District 6 tournament at Republic High School.
In other action at the tourney, top-seeded Nixa beat eighth-seeded Waynesville 3-0 (25-7, 25-7, 25-10), fourth-seeded Republic topped fifth-seeded Lebanon 3-0 (25-11, 25-21, 25-16) and third-seeded Ozark knocked off sixth-seeded Springfield Central 3-0 (25-12, 25-9, 25-8).
Joplin hosted Neosho in a Central Ozark Conference match and walked out with a four-set win over the Wildcats on Tuesday.
The Eagles (15-10-1) earned a 25-22, 25-20, 25-23 and 25-16 win over Neosho (9-15-4).
Bailey Owens led Joplin with 22 kills and a block, while Serafina Auberry added 14 kills and 14 digs. Paisley Parker finished with 10 kills, 19 digs and an assist. Jayla Hunter had 32 digs, while Adalynn Noirfalise added 53 assists and three aces.
Joplin hosts Nixa for Senior Night on Thursday, while Neosho hosts Willard on Thursday.
WEBB CITY SWEEPS OZARK
Ozark, Mo. — In what could be described as a statement victory, Webb City earned a 3-0 win at Ozark on Tuesday in Central Ozark Conference action.
The Cardinals defeated the always-solid Tigers 25-21, 25-22, 25-15.
Webb City hiked its record to 26-4-2. Ozark fell to 19-7-2.
Aubree Lassiter and Jaeli Rutledge recorded nine kills apiece to lead the Cardinals’ attack at the net, while Brenda Lawrence contributed seven kills and Kate Brownfield had six kills.
Kyah Sanborn had a team-high 28 assists to go along with six digs, while Sophia Crane recorded a team-high 16 digs. Lassiter and Lawrence each had six digs.
Jenna Noel had nine digs, while Brownfield, Sanborn and Crane served two aces apiece. Kirra Long and Sanborn had three kills apiece.
Webb City hosts Branson on Thursday.
MCAULEY SWEEPS EXETER
EXETER, Mo. — McAuley went on the road and snapped a three-match skid with a sweep over Exeter on Tuesday.
The Warriors defeated the Tigers 25-20, 25-9 and 25-10 to improve their record to 19-13-2.
Avery Gardner had seven kills, while Kloee Williamson added six. Lily Black had 26 assists, while Kendall Ramsey added six aces in service.
McAuley hosts Southwest (Washburn) on Monday.
THOMAS JEFFERSON SWEEPS BRONAUGH
BRONAUGH, Mo. — Thomas Jefferson found little resistance in a 25-4, 25-4 and 25-18 win over Bronaugh on Tuesday.
With the win, the Cavaliers improve to 12-15-1.
Mary Nguyen had 15 assists, three digs, three kills and three aces, while Gabbi Hiebert finished with eight kills, five assists and three digs. Nico Carlson added five kills and two assists, with Lannah Grigg closing with 11 kills, four assists, two digs, two aces and a block. Macie Shifferd had eight aces, three kills and an assists, with Alexis Stamps added three aces, two kills and two assists.
Thomas Jefferson hosts Golden City on Monday.
SENECA FALLS AT LAMAR
LAMAR, Mo. — Seneca went on the road and took a five-set loss to Lamar on Tuesday.
The Tigers earned the win over the Indians 21-25, 17-21, 25-22, 25-19 and 15-13. The loss drops Seneca’s record to 14-9-1, 4-1 in the Big 8 West Conference.
Parker Long had 24 kills for Seneca, while Brylee Sage had 49 assists. Jera Jameson added 15 kills, three aces and two blocks. Braxton Raulston had 16 digs, two aces and a block.
Seneca hosts East Newton on Thursday.
MUSTANGS WIN ON SENIOR NIGHT
ANDERSON, Mo. — In a five-set thriller, McDonald County defeated Cassville 25-15, 25-23, 20-25, 22-25, 16-14 on Tuesday night in Big 8 action.
Savannah Leib had nine kills to lead the Mustangs, while Megan Elwood, Carlie Martin and Layla Wallain added six kills apiece.
Jayden Forcum contributed 30 assists from the setter position, while Hay Nay Way had a team-high 42 digs.
Martin added 19 digs and Elwood had 14 digs.
McDonald County hosts the Mustang Classic on Saturday.
WILLARD, Mo. — The Webb City volleyball team captured the tourney championship at Willard’s Lori Endicott Classic on Saturday.
Webb City went 3-0-1 at the event.
The Cardinals only dropped one set on the day at the round-robin event, while second place Central lost three sets on the day.
The Cardinals defeated Cassville 25-6, 25-14.
Brenda Lawrence and Jaeli Rutledge recorded five kills apiece, while Aubree Lassiter added four kills.
Kyah Sanborn had 17 assists from the setter position, while libero Sophia Crane had a team-high seven digs. Kate Brownfield contributed five digs and three kills.
Webb City beat Stockton 25-14, 25-14.
Brownfield had nine digs and seven kills, while Lassiter, Lawrence and Rutledge each had five kills.
Sanborn had 25 assists and Crane had nine digs. Jenna Noel contributed six digs and three aces.
Webb City beat Willard 25-20, 25-9.
Rutledge and Lawrence recorded seven kills apiece, while Lassiter added five kills.
Sanborn had 19 assists, while Crane had nine digs and Lawrence chipped in six digs.
Webb City split two sets with Central (15-25, 25-16).
Lassiter had seven kills, while Lawrence had six kills.
Sanborn handed out 16 assists, while Crane had a team-high 12 digs.
Webb City (24-4-2) is at McDonald County on Monday.
District tournament seeds and brackets have been released for area volleyball teams.
CLASS 5 DISTRICT 7
Joplin is the fourth seed and Carthage is the sixth seed for the Class 5 District 7 tournament, which will be hosted by Lee’s Summit High School.
In quarterfinal games on Oct. 20, top-seeded Lee’s Summit West takes on eighth-seeded Raytown at 5, fourth-seeded Joplin meets fifth-seeded Lee’s Summit North at 6, second-seeded Lee’s Summit plays seventh-seeded Raymore-Peculiar at 5 and third-seeded St. Teresa’s Academy takes on sixth-seeded Carthage at 6.
The semifinals are slated for 3 and 4:30 on Oct. 22.
The district title match is at 6:30 on Oct. 25.
CLASS 5 DISTRICT 6
Republic is the host of this district, which features the Neosho Wildcats.
In Oct. 22 quarterfinals, top-seeded Nixa meets eighth-seeded Waynesville at 3, fourth-seeded Republic takes on fifth-seeded Lebanon at 4:30, second-seeded Kickapoo plays seventh-seeded Neosho at 6 and third-seeded Ozark meets sixth-seeded Springfield Central at 7:30.
The semifinals are slated for 6 and 7:30 on Oct. 24, with the title match following at 6 on Oct. 25.
CLASS 4 DISTRICT 6
Webb City and Carl Junction are the top two seeds in this district, which will be hosted by Willard High School.
On Oct. 22, top-seeded Webb City meets eighth-seeded Parkview at 1, fourth-seeded Glendale takes on fifth-seeded Hillcrest at 2:30, second-seeded Carl Junction plays seventh-seeded McDonald County at 4 and third-seeded Branson meets sixth-seeded Willard at 5:30.
The semifinals are at 5 and 7 on Oct. 24.
The district title match is slated for 6 p.m. on Oct. 25.
CLASS 3 DISTRICT 12
Mount Vernon will host.
On Oct. 20, fourth-seeded Mount Vernon plays fifth-seeded Cassville at 5, while third-seeded Nevada meets sixth-seeded Monett at 6:15.
Top-seeded Aurora awaits the Mount Vernon-Cassville winner in the Oct. 24 semifinals, while second-seeded Seneca awaits either Nevada or Monett.
The title match is at 6 on Oct. 25.
CLASS 2 DISTRICT 11
East Newton is the host.
On Oct. 20, fourth-seeded Sarcoxie meets fifth-seeded East Newton at 4 before third-seeded Pierce City takes on sixth-seeded Southwest at 6.
The top two seeds, No. 1 Lamar and No. 2 Diamond, will play the quarterfinal winners in the semifinals on Oct. 22.
The title match is at 6 on Oct. 24.
CLASS 1 DISTRICT 11
Thomas Jefferson will host this district tourney.
On Oct. 20, fourth-seeded Liberal meets fifth-seeded Thomas Jefferson, second-seeded College Heights Christian takes on seventh-seeded Bronaugh and third-seeded McAuley Catholic plays sixth-seeded Sheldon.
Top-seeded Jasper awaits the Liberal-TJ winner in the semifinals on Oct. 22. The second semifinal will feature the CHC-Bronaugh winner against the McAuley-Sheldon winner.
The district title match is slated for 5:30 on Oct. 25.
The College Heights Christian Cougars scored 14 of the match’s final 15 points to avoid a third consecutive night of five-set volleyball and earn a 3-1 victory (25-14, 25-21, 25-27, 25-16) Thursday evening over their Ozark 7 Conference, district and Newman Road rival Thomas Jefferson inside the TJ Fieldhouse.
College Heights also outscored Thomas Jefferson 18-5 to close out the first set 25-14 and fought off the Cavaliers late in the second set 25-21, while Thomas Jefferson succeeded on a fourth set point to take the third set 27-25.
College Heights improved to 16-5-1 overall and 2-1 Ozark 7.
“I’m not a big fan of excuses,” College Heights coach Mary Colin said. “We showed up tonight a little bit spread out. We took team pictures after school in our new facility, which is so fun and exciting, and which pushed us back all over and running late. We literally ran in the gym late, and by the time we got into the locker room and got out, they had called captains, which is absolutely our fault just for the timing of the day.
College Heights Christian took on Thomas Jefferson in volleyball action on Thursday night. All photos by Shawn Fowler.
“We were not warm, and we did not move well (early). They slowly just started trying to logically fix that part of their game and it was just a matter of taking the smart part of their game and their energy and their momentum, because it’s hard to speed up if you don’t warm up well. They did (speed up), and I’m super proud of them.
“We had every intention of not going five. They truly did leave our last time out and pushed as hard as they could to get to a point where they will not play a five-set match tonight. We’re super proud of them for that.”
The Cougars won for the first time without their outstanding senior Addie Lawrence.
“Addie is a powerhouse,” Colin said. “She’s scored a lot of points for us, so it’s finding the points in other places. They are all heart and soul. They are great kids. They’re not trying to make mistakes, obviously. Addie’s here on the bench cheering them on, which is awesome.”
Lauren Ukena finished the match Thursday with 18 kills and 10 digs, while Lindsay Griesemer had 15 service points and nine kills. Katie Moss contributed 13 service points and 13 digs, Ava Masena had 13 service points and 23 digs, Libby Fanning recorded 13 kills, and Maddy Colin compiled 39 assists and 17 digs.
College Heights returns to action Monday on the road against McDonald County and the Cougars return home Tuesday with an Ozark 7 match against Verona.
Thomas Jefferson fell to 8-11 overall and 1-3 Ozark 7.
“I wanted them to compete,” Thomas Jefferson coach Dave Soetaert said. “That’s what I said at the beginning of the season, I just want to come in and compete and I want the other team to walk out the door knowing they competed, and points will fall where they fall. We did.
“They had some great plays. They’re a good team, perennial powerhouse around here, and big rival down the street. We haven’t beat them in a gazillion years. In my four years, I think that’s the first time we’ve gotten a set off them. Man, it could have been more, could have been less.
“We’re proud of the girls. They fought hard. I thought it should have been a good match to watch if you’re paying money to watch volleyball. Just a couple things here and there, it could have been different.”
Mary Nguyen had 13 digs and six kills for the Cavaliers, while Nico Carlson had eight digs, four kills, six assists and three blocks. Leah Studer contributed seven digs and four assists with a pair of aces, Lannah Grigg had 13 digs and seven kills, and Gabbi Hiebert put together 10 digs, six kills, four assists, and two blocks.
Thomas Jefferson returns to action Saturday in the Southwest Volleyfest Tournament with matches already slated against Purdy, Spokane, Wheaton, and Pierce City.
WILLARD, Mo. — Webb City needed only three sets to earn a Central Ozark Conference volleyball victory over Willard on Thursday night.
The Cardinals beat the Tigers 25-20, 25-16, 25-14.
After a sixth straight win, Webb City is now 12-2-1 overall and 2-0 in COC play.
Aubree Lassiter and Brenda Lawrence recorded 13 kills apiece on Thursday night. Lawrence also compiled 10 digs and three aces.
Kate Brownfield contributed nine digs, eight kills and two aces, while Kyah Sanborn had a team-high 33 assists to go with seven kills, four digs and two aces.
Sophia Crane had nine digs and two aces from the libero position. Kirra Long and Jaeli Rutledge chipped in two kills apiece.
The Cardinals will be among the 18 teams entered in Saturday’s Carl Junction Classic. Webb City will be in the Red Pool with Central, Siloam Springs and McDonald County. Pool play at the event begins at 8:30 a.m.
SENECA SWEEPS MAC COUNTY
SENECA, Mo. — Seneca earned its first conference win of the season with a 25-19, 25-14 and 25-9 sweep of McDonald County on Thursday.
Seneca improves to 7-2, 1-0 in the Big 8.
Brylee Sage had 26 assists and two aces, while Parker Long had 11 kills, 10 digs and three aces. Jera Jameson had eight kills, nine digs, two blocks and four block assists. Braxton Raulston had nine kills, a block and four block assists. Ella Graham added 10 digs.
Seneca takes part in the Strafford Volleyfest on Saturday.
THOMAS JEFFERSON BEATS SOUTHWEST
WASHBURN, Mo. — Thomas Jefferson went on the road and earned a 25-18, 21-25, 26-24 and 25-14 win over Southwest on Thursday.
Nico Carlson had 10 digs, eight kills, seven assists, three blocks and an ace for the Cavaliers, while Mary Nguyen had six kills, nine digs, six assists and three aces. Gabbi Hiebert had five kills, five assists, three blocks and three digs. Lanna Grigg had nine kills, seven digs, three assists, two aces and a block. Macie Shifferd had seven digs, five kills, three assists and an ace, with Alexis Stamps adding nine digs, two kills, three assists and four aces. Maggie Sutton also contributed 12 digs and three aces.
NIXA BEATS CARL JUNCTION 3-0
NIXA, Mo. — Nixa hosted Carl Junction and earned a 25-6, 25-15 and 25-19 Central Ozark Conference win over the short-handed Bulldogs on Thursday.
With the loss, Carl Junction—still playing without senior setter and Arkansas commit Lo Jones—falls to 5-6-1, 0-2 COC.
Destiny Buerge finished with seven kills and 11 digs, while Miya Carnes finished with nine assists.
Carl Junction hosts the Dr. Jeffrey Knutzen CJ Classic volleyball tournament on Saturday.
JOPLIN SUFFERS COC LOSS AT BRANSON
BRANSON, Mo. — Branson defeated Joplin 3-1 on Thursday night in a Central Ozark Conference clash.
The Pirates defeated the Eagles 26-24, 25-19, 20-25, 25-10.
Serafina Auberry had 13 kills and eight digs for the Eagles, while Bailey Owens had 10 kills. Paisley Parker contributed 20 digs, seven kills and two aces.
Abby Hembree had 18 assists, while Kaya Cooper added 10 assists and two aces
Jayla Hunter had a team-high 21 digs, while Adalynn Niorfalise contributed 12 digs.
Joplin (8-6-1) will compete at the CJ Classic on Saturday. Joplin is in the White Pool with Nevada, Hillcrest, Hollister and Aurora. Pool play begins at 8:30 a.m.
The McAuley Catholic Warriors earned their 13th win of the season in commanding, straight-set fashion (25-16, 25-14, 25-12) on Thursday against the visiting Purdy Eagles.
McAuley took care of business and did not allow a one-win Purdy team to hang around to build any confidence.
Purdy led 2-1 in the first set and that proved to be the Eagles’ only lead all match. Additionally, there were only three tie scores with two of them happening in the first set.
“I was very proud of the girls,” McAuley coach Sarah Nangle said. “We took a mental health day (Wednesday) and didn’t have practice. We did a lot of team bonding stuff. We went and had ice cream, and I think tonight you could really see that we gelled more as a team than we have all season. We have changed our motto. We’re more focused on our faith, being a family, and being more consistent.
“I think the girls did a good job the entire three sets of staying up, running different plays that we’ve been working on at practice, and being aggressive.”
Senior setter and outside hitter Lily Black finished with six kills and five assists, senior libero JoJo Wheeler finished with 12 digs and committed no passing errors in the contest, junior setter and outside hitter Kloee Williamson added four kills, three assists and five aces, and sophomore Jadyn LaFerla came through with three blocks and four more aces.
The Warriors fared well Thursday with their service game.
“We have been a very strong serving team,” Nangle said. “We are good at placing the ball. We have worked on it every practice, and I’ve got some really good servers that are very aggressive. Then, I’ve got some servers that can put the ball where I want them to put it, and we’re very successful at that. Our defense backs it up if it comes on our side.”
McAuley takes a 13-8-2 overall record into the Patriot Challenge this weekend hosted by Providence Academy in Rogers, Ark.
The Warriors then have Ozark 7 Conference matches on the road on Tuesday against Wheaton and on Thursday against Verona.
McAuley returns home on Tuesday, Oct. 4, against conference foe Golden City.
For a moment, it looked like the Joplin Eagles were going to earn a clean sweep over the rival Carthage Tigers on Tuesday night.
But just minutes later, after a sudden shift in momentum, it appeared as if the Eagles were going to let one slip away, as the visiting Tigers looked poised to pull off an improbable come-from-behind win.
In the end, Joplin got it done in the deciding set and the Eagles earned a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Tigers in Central Ozark Conference volleyball action inside Kaminsky Gymnasium.
The Eagles defeated the Tigers 25-18, 25-22, 25-27, 15-25, 15-7.
“It’s always fun to play a conference and district opponent,” Eagles coach Desiree Felker said. “Carthage brought the energy and intensity. They didn’t make our job easy tonight. I feel good that we were able to come out with the win. Credit to Carthage. They didn’t go away and they kept fighting. That made it really fun in here tonight.”
“That match was so much fun and I’m so proud of my girls,” Tigers coach Chloe Allmoslecher said. “There’s definitely a rivalry with us and Joplin. They knocked us off for the district championship last year. We got them at the jamboree this year. I was really proud of my girls. It’s not easy to lose the first two sets and come back. So I was really proud we could make it a five-set night. It was a fun game to watch.”
Joplin senior Kaya Cooper serves for the Eagles during Tuesday’s match with Carthage. The Eagles topped the Tigers 3-2. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
In a clash between Class 5 District 7 foes, Joplin won the first two sets and appeared to be on the way to a 3-0 sweep.
But the Tigers came from behind to win the third set and carried over their momentum en route to taking the fourth set, forcing a fifth set.
After dropping two straight sets, the Eagles took the lead right away in the deciding fifth set — and they never relinquished it.
“This win should give us a lot of confidence going forward,” Felker said. “I feel like we’re getting better every night, and I hope this win fuels their fire.”
The Eagles pulled away in the first set with Jayla Hunter serving.
The second set was deadlocked at 22 after Carthage’s Abby Holderbaum slammed a kill at the net. The Tigers committed a serving error, Joplin received an ace from Abby Edwards and the set ended after a Carthage attack error.
Joplin looked in control of the third set, as the Eagles led 21-14. But the Tigers stormed all the way back with a 10-3 run to tie it up at 24 after an ace from Mia De La Pena.
Carthage’s Kinley Adams and Joplin’s Bailey Owens traded kills before the Tigers scored two straight points on a Holderbaum kill and a Joplin hitting error.
The Tigers kept the momentum in the fourth set, leading 18-13 en route to the win.
“We did a good job of keeping the ball alive and we took advantage of their mistakes,” Allmoslecher said. “We noticed they had to run a little bit different lineup. We stayed level-headed on the court. It paid off. I’m proud of how my girls stayed mentally tough. I just wish we could have pulled it off.”
“We had some lineup changes that may have caused us to panic a little bit,” Felker said. “Carthage definitely kept the momentum in the fourth set. We just had to reset and refocus after the fourth set.”
Joplin never trailed in the fifth set, as the Eagles led 6-2 after a kill from Serafina Auberry. Auberry and Owens slammed two kills apiece late in the set to give the Eagles the win.
“We did a really good job of putting the ball away in the fifth set,” Felker said. “We found a way to terminate the ball. Serafina and Bailey took over and made sure that happened.”
A junior outside hitter, Owens led the Eagles with 16 kills. A senior outside hitter/middle blocker, Auberry added 14 kills.
Senior outside hitter Paisley Parker contributed 20 digs and nine kills.
Senior setter Kaya Cooper had 22 assists and 16 digs, while classmate Abby Hembree handed out 20 assists. Cooper and Parker had four aces apiece.
A senior libero, Hunter had a team-high 32 digs. Edwards added 13 digs.
Holderbaum had 15 kills for the Tigers, while Brielle Cartwright added 12 kills.
Riann Schwartz had 29 digs, while Raven Probert handed out 18 assists. Jaidyn Brunnert added 15 assists.
Both teams return to conference action on Thursday, as Joplin (8-5-1, 1-0 COC) is at Branson and Carthage (4-11, 0-1 COC) is at Ozark.
Joplin’s Bailey Owens hits at the net against Carthage on Tuesday night inside Kaminsky Gymnasium. All photos by Shawn Fowler.
Carthage’s Abby Holderbaum hits at the net against Joplin’s Janiah Vaughn and Bailey Owens.
Joplin defeated Carthage 3-2 in prep volleyball action on Tuesday inside Kaminsky Gymnasium. Paisley Parker is pictured above.
Before conference play arrives next week, the Carl Junction volleyball team gained valuable experience at the always-tough Springfield Classic on Saturday.
The Bulldogs went 1-3-1 at the event, which is hosted by Kickapoo.
Ozark defeated Carl Junction 25-13, 25-18.
Kickapoo topped the Bulldogs 25-13, 25-22.
Carl Junction split a pair of sets with Rogersville, 25-18 and 18-25.
Fort Smith Southside edged Carl Junction 25-20, 25-19.
Carl Junction defeated Glendale 20-25, 25-10, 25-20.
For the tournament, Kylie Scott compiled 32 kills and 18 digs, while Destiny Buerge had 27 kills, 26 digs and four aces.
Miya Carnes had 65 assists for the tourney, while Aubrey Fowler had seven blocks and Sara Buchele contributed six aces.
Carl Junction opens Central Ozark Conference play on Tuesday with a home match against rival Webb City. Tuesday’s varsity match is slated for 7 p.m.
WEBB CITY, Mo. — In a final tune-up before conference play begins on Tuesday, the Webb City High School volleyball team swept a pair of non-conference home matches on Saturday inside the Cardinal Dome.
Webb City defeated El Dorado Springs 3-0 (25-11, 25-18, 25-19).
Against the Bulldogs, Webb City’s Brenda Lawrence compiled 12 kills and six digs, while Kate Brownfield contributed 10 kills and eight digs.
Aubree Lassiter recorded seven kills and six digs for the Cardinals.
Kyah Sanborn had a team-high 26 assists, while Sophia Crane recorded a team-high 10 digs.
Jenna Noel added eight digs, while Jaeli Rutledge chipped in four kills.
Webb City defeated Nevada 3-0, as the Cardinals beat the Tigers 25-15, 25-12, 25-15.
In the win over the Tigers, Lawrence recorded 14 kills and three aces, Lassister had 10 kills and Brownfield added eight kills and 10 digs.
Kirra Long added five kills and Rutledge contributed four kills.
Sanborn handed out 35 assists from the setter position, while Crane had 19 digs and four aces from the libero position. Noel added six digs.
Webb City is now 10-2-1 on the season.
In other action, Nevada defeated St. Mary’s Colgan 24-26, 25-12, 25-17, 25-22.
Webb City is at Carl Junction on Tuesday in the COC opener.
AURORA, Mo. — In a final tune-up before conference play begins next week, Joplin’s volleyball team rolled to a 3-0 win at Aurora on Thursday.
The Eagles won the non-conference matchup 25-12, 25-21, 25-15.
It’s Joplin’s second straight win after Tuesday’s win over Springfield Catholic.
On Thursday, junior outside hitter/middle blocker Bailey Owens led Joplin with 17 kills.
Paisley Parker contributed 15 digs and seven kills for the Eagles, while Serafina Auberry added six kills.
Abby Hembree had 16 assists, while fellow setter Kaya Cooper recorded 15 assists.
Adalynn Niorfalise had a team-high 21 digs, while Jayla Hunter added 17 digs. Cooper contributed 11 digs.
Joplin (7-5-1) hosts Carthage on Tuesday in the COC opener.
CARL JUNCTION SWEEPS MAC COUNTY
ANDERSON, Mo. — The Carl Junction Bulldogs extended their winning streak to four with a straight set victory over McDonald County on Thursday.
The Bulldogs defeated the Mustangs 25-21, 25-13, 25-14 to improve to 4-1.
Carl Junction’s Kylie Scott recorded 15 kills, seven digs and four aces to lead the Bulldogs, while Destiny Buerge added nine kills, eight digs and two aces.
Karissa Chase contributed nine kills.
Carl Junction senior setter Logan Jones handed out 33 assists to go along with five digs and a pair of aces.
For the Mustangs, Savannah Leib had seven kills and Jayden Forcum contributed 16 assists and five digs.
Carl Junction begins conference play on Tuesday with a home match against Webb City.
McDonald County (2-6-1) travels to rival Neosho on Monday.
SENECA WINS IN FIVE SETS
JASPER, Mo. — Seneca earned a 3-2 win over Jasper on Thursday.
The Indians beat the Eagles 25-16, 25-22, 22-25, 16-25, 15-10.
Parker Long recorded 19 kills, 14 digs and two blocks, while Jera Jameson contributed 18 kills and six aces.
Braxton Raulston had 12 kills, Ella Graham recorded 12 digs and Brylee Sage handed out 51 assists.
The Indians are now 6-1.
Seneca is at Aurora on Monday.
THOMAS JEFFERSON FALLS TO WHEATON
Wheaton defeated Thomas Jefferson 3-2 on Thursday. The Bulldogs defeated the Cavaliers 25-16, 25-9, 22-25, 18-25, 15-7.
Lannah Grigg and Gabbi Hiebert recorded 10 kills apiece for Thomas Jefferson. Hiebert added six digs, while Grigg contributed four digs and two aces.
Nico Carlson had 15 assists to go with five kills for TJ, while Mary Nguyen had five digs, four aces and three kills.
Macie Shifferd contributed 11 digs, five kills and four aces, while Alexis Stamps compiled six assists and four kills.
Thomas Jefferson (4-7) is hosting a tournament on Saturday.
By coming through in the clutch again and again, the Joplin Eagles earned a clean sweep.
Three close sets went Joplin’s way in a non-conference volleyball clash with Springfield Catholic on Tuesday inside Kaminsky Gymnasium.
The Eagles got it done in crunch time and topped the Irish 25-23, 25-23, 25-23 to earn a confidence-building victory.
“That’s a big win for us,” Eagles coach Desiree Felker said. “That was a good win. Springfield Catholic does a lot of good things. They’re very aggressive at the net. We learned a lot this past weekend at Hillcrest, and I think we’re better for it.”
Felker noted her squad displayed a lot of determination in the hard-fought match.
“We dug in tonight and we refused to go away,” Felker said. “That showed out on the court. I think the girls have made a decision on what kind of team they want to be. They want to be a team that will dig in, play for each other and not back down when it gets tough.”
Junior outside hitter/middle blocker Bailey Owens led the Eagles with 10 kills, with many of those kills coming at crucial moments.
“She had a good night for us,” Felker said of the 6-foot-1 Owens. “She did a lot of nice things for us at the net. I can’t say enough about her.”
Senior outside hitter Serafina Auberry added five kills for the Eagles. Senior setter Kaya Cooper handed out 13 assists, while classmate and fellow setter Abby Hembree had eight assists.
Senior defensive specialist Jayla Hunter had a team-high 16 digs, while senior Paisley Parker added 14 digs. Sophomore Adalynn Noirfalise contributed 13 digs and senior Abby Edwards had 10 digs.
Springfield Catholic standout Grace O’Reilly recorded 19 kills. A Long Beach State commit, O’Reilly recently surpassed 1,000 career kills.
The first set was close all the way, as there were 11 ties. The final deadlocked score came at 23-23. Owens recorded back to back kills to give the hosts the opening set.
Catholic held a 14-7 lead in the second set before the Eagles gained the momentum with Auberry serving. Joplin eventually tied the set at 14.
Like the first set, the second set was deadlocked at 23 when Owens slammed a kill. On set point, Owens blocked O’Reilly’s kill attempt at the net to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
The third set was much like the first two, as neither team was able to gain much separation. In fact, there were 12 ties in the third set, the last coming at 21-all.
Joplin took advantage of a Catholic attack error and then went up 24-21 after a pair of aces from Auberry.
The Irish scored two straight points, but the hosts ended the night when Owens hammered home her final kill of the evening.
“Defensively, we did a very good job tonight,” Felker said. “They refused to let a ball hit the floor. Catholic’s No. 4, O’Reilly, she did a really good job. We did a good job of doing our best to get a touch and keep the play alive.”
The Eagles, who have been assigned to Class 5 District 7 this season, will travel to Aurora on Thursday for what will be a final tune-up before conference play begins next week.
Joplin (6-5-1) will begin Central Ozark Conference action next Tuesday with a home date against Carthage.
WEBB CITY, Mo. — The Webb City Cardinals won a critical third set after nearly squandering it and then closed out a 3-1 victory (25-22, 22-25, 28-26, 25-13) with a strong fourth set on Monday against the Bentonville (Ark.) Tigers at the Cardinal Dome.
“Too close to the finish to force another set,” Webb City coach Rhonda Lawrence said. “We wanted to make sure that we stepped out there and ended it. We were very intentional on matchups of who was blocking who, giving us a better opportunity. We found their weakness, and we tried to exploit it hard during that fourth set. Obviously, it worked, but they had some unforced errors that helped us out a little bit.
“Proud of the way that we played intentionally. We played under control. We played our guts out, played hard volleyball. Played smart volleyball, too, and that’s what can set your team apart. If we can get to a consistency of doing that, we’ll be tough to beat.”
Webb City improved to 7-2-1 overall entering Tuesday’s road match against Seneca and the Cardinals finished off their Northwest Arkansas portion of the schedule 2-1 against Bentonville West, Rogers Heritage, and Bentonville.
“Northwest Arkansas volleyball is always competitive, and this is actually the first time in the history of Webb City volleyball, since we’ve started playing them, that we’ve beaten Bentonville High School,” Lawrence said. “We’ve beaten Bentonville West several years, but it’s the first time we beat Bentonville, because they’ve always been super-stacked, and they’ve won tons of state championships.”
The Cardinals open Central Ozark Conference play Tuesday, Sept. 20, against Carl Junction and Thursday, Sept. 22, against Willard, both matches on the road.
“It’s the only way to get prepared for the COC,” Lawrence said of playing schools like Bentonville and Bentonville West. “Because our COC volleyball is some of the best in the state of Missouri. That’s the beauty of it.”
Aubree Lassiter led the Cardinals on Monday with 15 kills, Brenda Lawrence and Kate Brownfield combined for another 22 with Lawrence at 12 and Brownfield 10, setter Kyah Sanborn found ways to finish with five, Kirra Long added four, and Jaeli Rutledge had two.
Sanborn had 40 assists and 10 digs, Sophia Crane 24 digs, Brownfield 14 digs, and the team combined for 12 blocks, as well as 48 kills, 68 digs, and 11 service aces.
The Cardinals, in fact, ended both the third and fourth sets on aces.
Webb City returns home Saturday to host a quad with St. Mary’s Colgan, El Dorado Springs, and Nevada visiting the Cardinal Dome.
The Webb City High School volleyball team settled for the runner-up plaque at the Hillcrest Slamfest on Saturday.
The Cardinals went 4-1-1 at the event, falling to Lebanon in the championship match.
In pool play, Webb City defeated Waynesville 25-9, 25-12, split two sets with Camdenton (25-12, 23-25), beat Willard 25-18, 25-19 and edged Hillcrest 25-22, 25-23.
In bracket play, Webb City topped Republic 25-21, 23-25, 25-22 before Lebanon defeated the Cardinals 25-21, 25-23 for the tourney championship.
For the tourney, Kate Brownfield recorded 39 kills, while Brenda Lawrence added 34 kills. Aubree Lassiter had 33 kills, while Jaeli Rutledge contributed 15 kills.
Kyah Sanborn handed out 114 assists from the setter position.
Sophia Crane had a team-high 72 digs, while Brownfield had 30 digs. Jenna Noel added 28 digs, while Lawrence had 24 digs and Sanborn added 22 digs.
Noel and Brownfield served seven aces apiece. Lassiter had six blocks and Rutledge added five blocks.
Webb City (6-2-1) hosts Bentonville on Monday night inside the Cardinal Dome.
