Dexter volleyball team turns back Notre Dame

DEXTER, Mo. -- The Dexter volleyball team tallied two of its final three points on blocks in a 25-15, 28-26 home victory against district rival Notre Dame Monday night at the Bearcat Event Center.

"Blocking was huge because they've got some big, tall girls and you've got to get a formidable block," Dexter coach Carmen Morgan said about her team finishing with seven blocks. "It's our first line of defense and we try to say, 'We own the net.' I try to get them to believe that, and we've got to stay focused on it. But it was huge to get those final two blocks in the second set."

Neither team led by more than three points in the final set.

The decisive set was tied at 20-20 before Notre Dame took leads of 23-21 and 24-22.

Dexter scored the next two points on a Notre Dame missed serve and kill by sophomore middle hitter Krysten Garrison to tie things up at 24-24.

Notre Dame moved back ahead 25-24 on a missed serve by Dexter, but a kill by Garrison tied it at 25-25.

Dexter took a 26-25 lead on a block by sophomore middle hitter Hannah Thurmon.

Notre Dame tallied its final point on a kill by Abbie McAlister to tie the score at 26-26.

Thurmon followed with another block to put Dexter on top 27-26, and the match ended shortly after when the Notre Dame was unable to return a ball following an errant pass.

"I thought coming down [to Dexter], it would be as close as the second [set] was," Notre Dame Bulldogs coach Tara Stroup said. "I don't expect either one of us to beat the other by 10 points. It's going to be a knock down drag out every time we play, and what we saw in the second [set] was what I expected."

The first set was tied six times before Dexter scored three straight points to move ahead 12-9. Notre Dame cut the deficit as close as 17-15, but Dexter followed with the next eight points to end the first set.

"I don't know what happened the first set, but I feel like we played better defense the second set," Stroup said. "We forced them to mix up their shots a little bit, got in position better and got some touches on the ball. We didn't just let things drop. We actually made an effort to pick the balls up. We also served better the second game after missing a couple serves in the first game at crucial times."

Garrison paced Dexter with 12 kills. Thurmon added six more kills and sophomore outside hitter Lexie Barnes recorded three kills.

Thurmon had three blocks, sophomore Addie Kruse recorded two blocks and Barnes and Garrison had one block for the Bearcats.

Sophomore setter Bailee Williams had a team-high 11 assists for Dexter.

"I was proud of my girls because we've been known to play a little tight from time to time and they didn't do that tonight," Morgan said. "We wanted to go out and mix things up a little bit, stay focused and see how things came out. That was our goal and we did that tonight.

McAlister recorded 11 of the Bulldogs' 25 kills.

Sam Brennan contributed seven more kills for Notre Dame.

"We've got a couple strong hitters," Stroup said. "McAlister had a really good game for us. She's been leading us in kills most of our games. She's a good placement hitter that sees the gaps and places the ball well. We have to work hard when she's not in the front row so we can get her back up there."

It is the third time the perennial powerhouses have met this season.

Dexter beat Notre Dame 25-19, 26-28, 25-23 in a semifinal of the Notre Dame Volleyballfest Sept. 5, and Notre Dame beat Dexter a week later 27-25, 25-20 in the championship of the 48-team Dig for Life Classic.

Notre Dame has received the No. 1 seed and defending champion Dexter is seeded No. 2 at next weeks' Class 3 District 1 tournament at Notre Dame Regional High School.

"Every time we've seen each other it has been a battle," Morgan said. "Their coach and I like playing each other because our kids get after it and we need to play teams like each other, especially this time of year."

Notre Dame (24-3-1) begins play in the first annual SEMO Conference volleyball tournament Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Cape Central.

"I think that's going to be a great time for us to get tuned in before the district," Stroup said about the tournament. "Many teams seasons are basically over right now. Some teams may have one game left, but we have potentially seven games left. It's a good chance to clean up a few things and get tuned in before the district."

Dexter (26-4-2) concludes regular season play Thursday when it hosts district rival Perryville.