Jackson volleyball team falls to Cor Jesu in Class 4 sectional

ST. LOUIS -- The clock finally struck midnight for the Jackson volleyball team Saturday.

The Indians, who entered their district as the No. 3 seed, couldn't sustain early momentum against Cor Jesu Academy and fell 25-19, 25-17 in a Class 4 sectional at Vianney High School. Jackson ended its season with a 23-11-3 record.

"One of our ultimate goals was to win districts," senior Autumn Reid said. "In sectionals, we really didn't know. We were hoping for a better outcome, but we played as hard as we could."

After dropping the first set, Jackson jumped out to a 3-0 lead behind an ace from Malary Burger and a Reid kill.

Cor Jesu responded with a 5-0 run, but a kill from Lexie King and an ace from Reid restored Jackson's lead at 6-5.

But Cor Jesu's size took over from there.

Sparked by a pair of kills from Mary Howard and Victoria Amsler, the Chargers went on an 8-0 run and took a 13-7 lead.

"Our lack of passing took over in the second set and their size," Jackson coach Tracy Robinson said. "They really put down some tremendous balls. They were everything we thought they would be and more."

A Reid kill got Jackson to within 15-12, but that was as close as the Indians could get. Claire Viviano and Amsler combined for 11 kills in the second set as the Chargers pulled away.

"Once they started getting their runs, when we got down, it was hard to get back up," Reid said.

Jackson held the lead for the majority of the first set but could never push the lead to more than four. Hannah Hunt had four kills to help the Indians build a 15-12 lead.

"They were serving aggressively, and we just had to find our way," Cor Jesu coach Kate Caplinger said. "Once we got a couple of points under our belt, we started playing well."

Cor Jesu broke a 16-16 tie on a Jackson net violation and never relinquished the lead. Three consecutive kills by Meghan Cantwell pushed the Chargers' lead to 22-16, and a Mackenzie Orf kill sent the match into the second set.

"I don't think they expected us to come out like that," Robinson said. "Then they started fighting back, and we got a little nervous. We were trying to win the whole match in the first set."

King, a senior, said the opportunity was there.

"We really needed to come out on top in that first set," King said. "We just let our mistakes get to us."

Viviano finished with a match-high nine kills for Cor Jesu (24-14), who eventually lost to Lafayette in the quarterfinals. Amsler had seven kills, and Cantwell had six kills. Mary Meyer and Tessa Buchheit combined for 22 assists.

Cor Jesu got a surprise return to its starting lineup as libero Katelyn Bright took the floor against Jackson. Bright, a St. Louis University recruit, had missed the last month with a staph infection in her knee and was in a wheelchair just three weeks ago.

"She attacked her rehab. She wanted to get back on the floor before the end of the season," Caplinger said. "It was a big boost for our team."

Hunt led Jackson with seven kills. Reid finished with four kills, and Malary Burger had 13 assists.

The loss made for an emotional goodbye for Jackson's three seniors -- Kali Beussink, Reid and King.

"I felt like we did a good job this year," King said. "We couldn't ask for a better season."

Robinson said they will be missed.

"They left a legacy," Robinson said. "Those three did a great job of setting the bar. The expectations will be higher next year."