The first trip to the Missouri State Volleyball Championships resulted in a third-place finish for West Platte.
On Saturday, Nov. 3, the Bluejays extracted a bit of revenge by beating Billings in two sets, 25-22 and 25-12. The Bluejays lost to Billings on Friday in pool play in two sets at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.
“We knew what we had to do to be successful against them and our girls did just that,” West Platte coach Amber Guthrie said of playing Billings again. “The amount of heart that they went out and played with on Saturday was truly inspiring. The ball did not hit on our side without us getting on the floor to at least make a touch on it. Our ball control was great and gave us an opportunity for some great swings on the front row. On top of that, we served 100 percent in the match, which was the first time that had happened.
“The feeling of winning that game and having our school and community’s support that whole weekend will be something we will never forget.”
West Platte (30-8-2) finished with 27 kills in the third-place match, nine by Lexie Smither and eight by Lara Lieske. Faith Stevens contributed 15 of the team’s 19 assists.
Stevens and Lieske each had 10 digs, while Lieske had two blocks.
Billings (27-8-2) beat West Platte in the final match on Friday, Nov. 2, winning 25-22 and 25-21.
Smither had five kills to lead an offense that had 17 total kills. Stevens had 10 assists and 13 digs, tying for a team-high with Lieske. Samantha Rotterman had the only block for West Platte.
Bailey Groves had 14 kills for Billings, but was limited to 11 in the finals.
West Platte went 0-3 in pool play.
In the opening game, the Bluejays lost in two to Calvary Lutheran, 25-13 and 25-18.
Smither had eight kills and Daire Stelljes had seven in that match. Stevens had 14 assists, while Lieske had 11 digs.
Oliva Bexten had 11 kills for Calvary Lutheran, while Grace Smith had 25 of the team’s 26 assists.
In the next match, the Bluejays lost in two sets to Advance, 25-16 and 25-10.
Lieske had six kills to lead the offense, while adding six digs. Stevens and Stelljes had seven digs each and Stevens had eight assists.