High school volleyball: Lions, Bulldogs advance to Bootheel finals

MALDEN — Both the Portageville and Senath-Hornersville High School volleyball teams have advanced to the Bootheel Conference championship match.

The match is set for 6:30 p.m., tonight.

It will pit the top-seeded Lions and No. 2 Bulldogs.

Senath-Hornersville libero Addie Lane (8) prepares to serve during a Bootheel Conference Tournament semifinal match versus Campbell dated Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, in Malden. Lane served up a few aces in the Lions' thrilling five-set win over Campbell. (Photo by Eric Viccaro, staff)

Senath-Hornersville defeated Portageville in a five-set thriller by scores of 25-14, 25-23, 10-25, 12-25, 15-12 on Aug. 29, which is why the Lions were seeded first in this week’s tournament and were given a first-round bye.

Portageville is the defending conference tournament champion, so it won’t be easy for Senath-Hornersville.

Campbell, who defeated Senath-Hornersville in straight sets on Sept. 28, pushed the Lions to a fifth and deciding set.

(From left) Malden High School volleyball players Nasia Smoot, Addi Buchanan, K.K. Vipperman and Kinley Buchanan react after winning a point during a Bootheel Conference Tournament semifinal match versus Portageville dated Tuesday, Oct. 10, in Malden.(Photo by Eric Viccaro, staff)

The fifth set was ripe with drama, and featured 10 ties, including at 13-all.

“The fifth set was super intense,” Lion head coach Laura Harris said. “The girls dug deep, and pushed each other to pull it out. It could have gone either way.”

Senath-Hornersville’s Chloe Edmonston had a cleverly-placed tip Campbell couldn’t return, and Lyvana Reyes served up an ace to give the Lions the match.

Malden�s Angela Dobbins (digging) produced an excellent all-around match in a straight-set loss to Portageville. She had six kills, four ace blocks, two aces and a dig for the Green Wave.(Photo by Eric Viccaro, staff)

In the end, Senath-Hornersville topped Campbell 29-27, 25-19, 16-25, 22-25, 15-13, a contest that lasted nearly two hours. Portageville swept Malden 25-13, 25-12, 25-18 in the other semifinal.

“It’s heartbreaking, that’s the first thought,” Campbell head coach Chelsea Bledsoe said. “These athletes have worked hard to where they are, and they refused to go down without a battle.”

Campbell’s Abbigail Correa was brought up since an unspecified varsity player was dealing with illness, Bledsoe noted.

Campbell's Hartlee Wills produces a kill during a Bootheel Conference Tournament semifinal match versus Senath-Hornersville dated Tuesday, Oct. 10, in Malden. The Camels pushed the Lions to five sets before ultimately falling by scores of 29-27, 25-19, 16-25, 22-25, 15-13.(Photo by Eric Viccaro, staff)

Both teams played a competitive first set, combining for 56 points — which ended with the Camels committing a violation. Edmonston powered down a kill to end the second set, giving the Lions a commanding lead.

Back-to-back hitting errors gave Campbell the third set. The Camels’ Aubrey Grubbs delivered the clinching point in the fourth set with a behind-the-back, highlight-reel style play landing on hardwood.

Edmonston finished with 11 kills while Jada Burlison had five for the winning Lions.

Campbell's Ava Baggett receives a serve during the second set of a Bootheel Conference Tournament semifinal match versus Senath-Hornersville dated Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, in Malden. (Photo by Eric Viccaro, staff)

Malden tried to keep up with talented Portageville.

“Their quick hits and tips were hard to pick up,” Malden head coach Jennifer Sokolova said.

The Bulldogs (23-4-2) run one of the quickest offenses in all The Bootheel.

Despite the loss, Green Wave Angela Dobbins played (perhaps) her finest all-around game of the season with six kills, four ace blocks, two aces and a dig.

Nasia Smoot added two kills and two ace blocks. Mikayln Vipperman had three kills and two ace blocks.

Rylie Brown served up a team-leading three aces to round out the numbers.

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Kennett downs Sikeston

SIKESTON — Kennett rebounded from Monday’s four-set home loss to Saxony Lutheran with a four-set road conquest of Sikeston in SEMO Conference play.

The Indians (9-12-4) won by scores of 25-17, 25-20, 19-25, 25-10, improving to 9-12-4.

They will play non-league Twin Rivers, the final home-cooked contest of the season tonight.

Kynsly McCaig had a team-leading four ace serves. Ella Gardner recorded a season-best 69 assists. Tayja Carter pounded down 11 kills, and Olivia Raspberry and Kali Reed nine each. Bella Wilson paced Kennett with five solo ace blocks.