C3D1 VB: Dexter disposes of competitive Doniphan in postseason opener

DEXTER – First-year Dexter High School volleyball coach Haylee Orf has stated for nearly three months that she wants her team to be playing its best volleyball at this point of the season, and the Bearcats exhibited a lot of their potential in their postseason opening match on Thursday.

No. 3-seed Dexter (17-13) knocked off No. 6-seed Doniphan 25-17, 25-16, 25-16 in the opening round of the MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 Tournament at the Bearcat Event Center.

“I’m really proud of these girls,” Orf said following the win. “We’ve gotten so much better at reactive plays, defensive plays to keep the tip and hold shots in play.”

The Bearcats have clinched their 13th consecutive winning season, which following a 1-6 start to this fall, didn’t look like a sure bet in early September.

“There is no reason that an awesome community like this,” Orf said of her alma mater, “with a history of strong athletics and strong coaching, and having a championship mindset, can’t carry on the Dexter tradition.”

The Bearcats jumped on the Donettes (12-15-2) quickly, as the hosts took a 4-0 lead in the opening set.

Dexter stretched that to leads of 7-2, 9-3, and 16-8, as Orf’s team methodically pulled away.

“We don’t have any crazy (good) front-row players,” second-year Doniphan coach Savannah Moe said after the match. “Our game plan all season long was to get it into senior Kenzie Redus’ hands and let her do something with it.”

Redus is a six-foot, athletic senior who showed ability at the net, as well as setting passes to others.

The Donettes trailed 21-10 in the opening set but made a late rally to pull to within 23-17, as Redus ran off five consecutive service points. However, Dexter recovered to close the opening set.

Doniphan, which doubled its win total from the 2022 season, was competitive, once again, in the second set, as it led 6-5 early on.

The Donettes were still within reach of the Bearcats at 14-10, but Dexter sophomore Karis Kennedy put up four consecutive service points to give her team an 18-10 margin and the Donettes couldn’t threaten Dexter again.

“We are doing such a better job of everybody being ready for the second contact,” Orf said, “and the second setup if needed. Everybody spaces out and gets ready to try and make that third contact and attack to keep the offense quick.”

Doniphan battled hard through the final set, as it grabbed a 10-9 lead. However, the serving of senior Katelynn Owens and sophomore Klaire Essner gave Dexter a 20-11 advantage, and the Bearcats sealed the win moments later.

“I have the biggest belief in this group,” Orf said. “And this group moving forward.”

The Bearcats will face No. 1-seed Notre Dame (23-6-3) on Monday in the District semifinal at 5 p.m.

Those two teams battled in a five-set thriller on Wednesday, before the Bulldogs survived 3-2.

No. 2-seed Saxony Lutheran (22-7-2) will face No. 4-seed Fredericktown (23-6-2) in the other semifinal on Monday at 6:30 p.m.

Doniphan graduates six seniors in Redus, Heather Kirk, Ashlynn Fowler, Ryleigh Collins, Charissa Mathis, and Addisyn Arnold.

“This was a great team to have,” Moe said. “I never had any issues and they worked hard.

“We had a great relationship.”