ND spikers open season with victory over Bernie

BERNIE, Mo. -- The Notre Dame High School volleyball team got its season off in impressive fashion Tuesday night by rolling past host Bernie 15-7, 15-7.

"We played good for the first match of the year," said Notre Dame coach Helen Payne. "There is a lot of improvement to be done, but for the opening match I'm very pleased with them."

Jennifer VanGennip led the Lady Bulldogs' balanced offensive attack with seven kills. Erin Pfau and Deana McCormick each had five kills while Courtney Vickery added three.

Ali Tyson dished out 20 assists and also had three kills. Summer McCauley contributed 11 assists.

Notre Dame's junior varsity, fresh off winning last weekend's Bernie Tournament, prevailed 15-7, 15-1.

SEMO Conference Tournament

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Jackson and Scott City both won two matches to advance into today's semifinals.

The Lady Indians (4-0) rolled past host New Madrid County Central 15-10, 15-1 and Cape Girardeau Central 15-1, 15-10.

Against New Madrid, Jenna Leet led the way with six kills and five service aces. Erin Hartman had six digs and six assists while Kacie Krites contributed four blocks.

Jessie Koeper had six kills and four assists against Cape Central. Leet had four kills and three blocks, Hartman added six assists, Jennifer Mesey contributed four kills and Linden Hahs served three aces.

The Lady Rams (3-1) knocked off Sikeston 15-9, 15-8 and Chaffee 15-3, 15-4. Mindy Miller had 12 kills in the two matches while Sydney Baer added 11.

BELLY CITY 15-15

ZALMA 2-6

ZALMA, Mo. -- Bell City rolled to victory over Zalma.

Katie Spears led the Lady Cubs (3-1) with nine kills and six digs. Katie Niemczyk had six kills and eight digs while Erin Dissler finished with four kills and three blocks. Whitney Abner dished out 20 assists and Emily Birch had 18 service points, including four aces.

Mary Kay Hovis had three kills for Zalma (1-2).

MEADOW HEIGHTS 15-15

MARQUAND 7-7

PATTON, Mo. -- Meadow Heights opened its season with an easy victory.

Tessa Bollinger led the way with six kills while Ashley Brune added four.

ADVANCE 15-1-15

ORAN 11-15-12

ADVANCE, Mo. -- Advance remained undefeated by holding off Oran in three games.

The Lady Hornets (2-0) were led by Dana Williams with 11 kills. Shelby Becker had seven service aces and five digs while Alicia Broshuis and Leslie Rainey each contributed five assists.

Oran (2-2) got 10 kills from Maria Eftink and four from Amber Seyer. Ashley Dirnberger recorded 10 service points and Jessica Pino had nine.

Advance won the JV match 15-11, 15-10.

FARMINGTON 15-15

PERRYVILLE 7-6

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Perennially powerful Farmington breezed past Perryville in two games.

Katie Kutz and Amy Garris each had two kills for Perryville (1-2). Garris added two blocks and Emily Amberger had two aces.

Farmington won the JV contest 15-7, 15-10.

WOODLAND 15-5-15

PUXICO 8-15-6

PUXICO, Mo. -- Woodland rolled in the third game to knock off Puxico.

The Lady Cardinals (2-2) got four kills and three aces from Emily Davis. Alisha Tranum had four digs and three assists.

Woodland's JV suffered a 15-13, 15-9 setback.

SOFTBALL

NOTRE DAME 5

POPLAR BLUFF 1

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Notre Dame remained undefeated as the Lady Bulldogs notched their eighth victory of the season.

"We're off to a real good start, but we've got some tough games coming up," said Notre Dame coach Chris Janet.

Lindsay Reinagel pitched all seven innings, allowing two hits, with four strikeouts and one walk.

The Lady Bulldogs had nine hits by nine different players.

CAPE CENTRAL 12

SIKESTON 0

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Holly Schnurbusch allowed only one baserunner -- on a fourth-inning hit -- and struck out eight as Central romped in a five-inning, run-rule contest.

"Holly did a really good job," said Central coach Amy Blattel.

The Lady Tigers (4-5) had 10 hits, led by Ashley Foutch with two.

Central's JV rolled 18-3 as Millie Noel was the winning hurler.

PERRYVILLE 5, DE SOTO 4

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Katie Bohnert's bases-loaded double in the bottom of the seventh inning brought home two runs as Perryville rallied to victory.

Bohnert, who also had a double, finished with three of the Lady Pirates' seven hits.

Amanda Roth went the distance for Perryville (2-2), allowing six hits, walking one and striking out two.

Perryville took a 3-2 advantage into the top of the seventh, but De Soto scored two runs to take the lead.

KELLY 16, EAST PRAIRIE 1

BENTON, Mo. -- Kelly stayed perfect as the Lady Hawks needed just three innings to run-rule East Prairie.

Bridgett Riley pitched a no-hitter and struck out five, although she walked four.

The Lady Hawks (2-0) had nine hits, led by Monica Senciboy with two. Christy Kluesner drove in two runs.

BOYS SOCCER

JACKSON 5, POPLAR BLUFF 2

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Patrick Kohm scored two goals to lead Jackson.

Matt Gordon, Trent Forrester and Stuart Knowlan had the other goals for the Indians (3-2). Gordon contributed two assists while Michael Schuette and Matt Litzelfelner added one each.

"We played pretty well," said Jackson coach Zack Walton. "Any time you can go to Poplar Bluff and win 5-2, it's a good game."

Jackson's JV prevailed 3-0 behind two goals from Tyler Beussink and one from Derrick Biri. Keeper Scott Sterling recorded the shutout.

GIRLS TENNIS

CHARLESTON 5

CAPE CENTRAL 4

Central (0-3) remained winless in dual matches but coach Bud Craven was encouraged.

"We played much better today," he said. "We're coming along."

The Lady Tigers' JV stayed perfect (3-0) by romping 13-3.

Singles

Lauren Sulser (CC) def. Emily McDowell 8-6

Britt Story (C) def. Megan Ladd 8-0

Mindi Luehmann (C) def. Allie McGinty 8-2

Allison Campbell (CC) def. Emily Rowling 8-3

Courtney McClendon (C) def. Sara Burns 8-1

Katie Maginel (CC) def. Summer Groves 8-1

Doubles

McDowell-Luehmann (C) def. Sulser-McGinty 8-2

Story-McClendon (C) def. Ladd-Campbell 8-1

Carrie Eller-Erika Foley (CC) def. Rowling-Groves 8-3

Central JV winners: (singles) Foley, Liz LaFoe, Sonja Tikoo, Merritt Gerlach, Michaelyn Burns, Brett Ford, Kelly Zinn, Lauren Thompson, Meg Yates, Erin Hildebrand; (doubles) LaFoe-Lauren Parrent, Burns-Ford, Zinn-Lacey Langraf

JACKSON 7, SIKESTON 2

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Jackson (4-1) earned a hard-fought victory over Sikeston.

The Lady Indians dropped the JV match 9-7.

Singles

Nicole Poythress (J) def. Elizabeth Killion 8-3

Katie Domian (J) def. Lindsay Leible 8-3

Kelly Mitchell (J) def. Heather Hester 8-6

Vallory Haman (S) def. Carly Vogelsang 8-2

Sarah Owen (J) def. Erin Shelton 8-6

Kelly Manley (S) def. Kari Miinch 8-6

Doubles

Poythress-Vogelsang (J) def. Killion-Leible 8-6

Domian-Mitchell (J) def. Hester-Shelton 8-3

Owen-Lauren Everett (J) def. Haman-Manley 8-3

Jackson JV winners: (singles) Mandy Burlbaugh, Kali Niswonger, Chelsea Walker, Mallory Cobb; (doubles) Miinch-Carrie Golden, Burlbaugh-Ashley Seabaugh, Niswonger-Megan Beil

--From staff reports