Dexter VB defense begins 'quietly' with play of senior libero

First-year Dexter High School volleyball coach Haylee Orf has been looking forward to the possibility that this week holds for her team since falling to state-power Advance 3-1 in a very competitive match on Sept. 26.

“I’d still love to see (Advance) again,” Orf said at the time, “because our best volleyball will be played in October.”

Well, here we are.

Both Advance and Dexter will open play in the Stoddard County Athletic Association Tournament today at Richland (Essex) High School.

The Hornets (24-3-3) are the top seed and will face the host Rebels (1-19-1) at 4 p.m.

Following that opening match, No. 4-seed Bernie (16-8-1) will battle No. 5-seed Woodland (11-16) at 5:30 p.m. while the No. 2-seed Bearcats (14-10) and No. 7-seed Puxico (7-14-1) will compete at 7 p.m.

The opening night closes with No. 3-seed Bell City (17-8-2) facing No. 6-seed Bloomfield (13-13-4) at 8:30 p.m.

Dexter won nine of 10 matches through a September stretch of games, but dropped three of four matches more recently, in losses to Advance (3-1), Cape Central (2-0), and Poplar Bluff (2-1). However, Orf’s squad is coming off a strong week of wins over Puxico (3-0), Doniphan (3-0), and Poplar Bluff (3-1), in which they were solid defensively in dropping just one set.

A key to the Bearcat defense is the play of senior libero Brooke Lasater.

“Brooke has been such a constant for us from the get-go,” Orf said. “She has really blossomed this year.”

Against Advance, Lasater was all over the court, literally, as she dove, rolled, and threw her body to the ground in order to keep possessions alive.

“She is a naturally quieter person,” Orf said of Lasater. “I’m still trying to pull a little more vocality out of her on the court. But she looks at the details. She lifts her team up.

“She is a big Christian girl and her leadership, with the way she is able to read (the ball) and fill in these holes on our cover and make those dives in the back, she is keeping us alive and brings a lot of fire.”

Lasater was named Dexter’s Player of the Week at one point in September for her tremendous effort and play.

“We just adore her,” Orf said. “She obviously, keeps us running pretty efficiently.”

If the Bearcats are able to get past Puxico for the second time in recent play, Orf’s team will see the winner of Bell City-Bloomfield on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m.

The tournament championship game is Friday at 8:30 p.m. with all matches being played at Richland (Essex).