High school roundup: Notre Dame spikers win title at first SEMO Conference tourney

Abbie McAlister nailed 13 kills to lead the top-seeded Notre Dame volleyball team in a 25-15, 25-21 sweep of second-seeded Jackson as the Bulldogs clinched the championship of the inaugural SEMO Conference Tournament.

Sam Brennan tallied 18 digs and five kills, and Lexi Welter also had five kills for Notre Dame, which improved to 30-3-2. Briley Bieser notched 16 digs, and Sam Feeney dished out 21 assists for the Bulldogs.

Notre Dame squeezed out a 25-23, 25-20 win over third-seeded Poplar Bluff to advance to the championship game, which Bulldogs coach Tara Stroup called a battle.

"They [Poplar Bluff] played really good defense," Stroup said. "They were really scrappy. ... I was glad those last two games were really competitive. Poplar Bluff has improved every time we've played them, and Jackson played with a lot of intensity."

McAlister recorded 15 kills and Brennan added six kills against Poplar Bluff, while Feeney provided 22 assists. Poplar Bluff (19-13-2) trounced Scott City (7-24-3) 25-8, 25-11 in a quarterfinal to advance to the semifinals. The Bulldogs rolled over Sikeston 25-9, 25-14 in their quarterfinal. McAlister led the way with 10 kills, Lexi Welter added six kills, and Feeney contributed 20 assists for Notre Dame. Sikeston (14-19-1) topped Oran (8-14-2) in one of the play-in games.

Jackson (20-10-3) thumped Cape Central 25-8, 25-16 in the other semifinal. The Indians advanced after downing Kennett (9-17-2) 25-11, 25-21 in a quarterfinal.

Cape Central (5-23-5) beat Charleston (1-26-2) in the other play-in game, then upended New Madrid County Central (18-12-3), which placed first in the SEMO South Conference pool, to advance to the semifinals.

Woodland 25 25, Bell City 18 5

Krista Rhodes recorded 10 kills, four digs and two aces as the Cardinals wrapped up the regular season with the conference sweep at home on Senior Night.

Chelsea Cureton tallied 12 digs and two aces for Woodland (19-9-2, 3-4 SCAA Conference). Emma Rinacke served six aces, while Mackenzie Altenthal had three kills and Kelsee Long added two kills for the Cardinals. Kristin Boyer notched three digs and two kills, and Whitney Lincoln contributed seven assists and two kills.

Bell City ended the regular season with a record of 15-3-2 and finished 2-5 in the conference.

BOYS SOCCER

Perryville 4, Windsor 0

Cole Gerstenberger netted two goals and dished out two assists to lead the Pirates in the conference victory at home.

Kyle Wood scored the game-winning goal and had one assist for Perryville (19-4, 4-0 JCAA Conference). Isaac Ellsworth added one goal and Pablo Mattingly contributed one assist for the Pirates, who clinched the Jefferson County Activities Association (JCAA) Conference regular-season championship for the third year in a row.

Goalkeeper Trent Unterreiner had three saves in the shutout.

Will Fenlon made eight saves in the net for Windsor (10-8).

JV -- Windsor (Imperial) won 6-0

-- From staff reports