Perryville volleyball team reaches district title game, ends Notre Dame's season

DEXTER, Mo. -- A meeting between Perryville and Notre Dame in a Class 3 District 1 match isn't anything new.

But this year's matchup was slightly different with the No. 2 Pirates and No. 3 Bulldogs facing off in a semifinal rather than for the title like they have the past four seasons.

Both teams' coaches noted the experience level for their teams were different: Most of Perryville's team played on the district stage before while Notre Dame's squad wasn't used to the occasion.

The veteran Pirates secured a spot in the Class 3 District 1 championship with a 25-12, 25-19 victory over the Bulldogs at the Bearcat Event Center.

"I didn't know if we'd win or not, but I knew if we lost it was because Notre Dame beat us, not because we beat ourselves," Perryville coach Dave Mirly said. "They've all been here before. Every girl that stepped on the court tonight won a district championship as a starter last year, and you can just look at their face and in their eyes and know that we were going to be OK tonight -- even when we were down. Just the confidence that we still had ... I knew that we were going to pull through."

The Pirates took a quick lead on the Bulldogs, who contributed to Perryville's success with unforced errors. Notre Dame coach Tara Stroup said she was confident after her team played a fairly error-free match against Doniphan in a 25-7, 25-10 district quarterfinal win earlier in the evening that they'd play similarly against the Pirates, but that wasn't the case.

Notre Dame opened the first set with a serve that sailed out of bounds. They were able to tie it at 1-1 and 2-2 before the Pirates pulled away for good.

Perryville's Alex Spears (22) and Brooke Moll try to block a shot by Notre Dame's Briley Bieser during the first set of their Class 3 District 1 semifinal Monday, Oct. 20, 2014 in Dexter, Missouri. (Fred Lynch)

Perryville took a 13-7 lead before Stroup called a timeout. The Bulldogs had eight errors, including two serve errors, up to that point. Two attack errors following the timeout and Perryville senior Alex Spears' fifth kill of the set gave the Pirates a 15-7 lead.

"I think the first game we just were nervous and made some bad passes," Stroup said. "We just weren't on with our passing, and that's a big thing. Our offense is so strong, but if we can't get the ball to the setter, it's not easy."

Notre Dame junior Abbie McAllister pulled the Bulldogs within 17-9 with a kill, but the Pirates scored seven of the next 11 points to win 25-12.

"After that first game we just kind of regrouped and I said, 'If we're going to go down, go down swinging. I mean, don't give it to them. You can do this, just take it one point at a time,'" Stroup said. "They came out a little bit more focused then and we just tried to get it one point at a time. They got a little bit more of their spirits back when we got up a little bit."

The Bulldogs took a 5-1 lead on Perryville to start the second set.

"They knew they had their backs to the wall and it was do-or-die, so they knew that they had to give it everything that last game," Perryville junior Brooke Hogard said.

Perryville’s Brooke Hogard, left, and Brooke Moll celebrate a point against Notre Dame during the first set of their Class 3 District 1 semifinal Monday. The Pirates swept the Bulldogs to reach the district final.

A couple of kills by Spears and a kill by Hogard cut the Bulldogs lead to 6-5.

"When it was about 5-1 and we were in a big hole, we knew that we didn't want to go to three games," Spears said. "We didn't want to let them think that they had a chance. We needed to make sure we made plays and step it up in order to get where we wanted to be."

Notre Dame gave the Pirates a big assist with three attack errors over the next five points to tie it up at 8-8.

The set was tied five more times, including at 15-15, but a Spears kill put the Pirates ahead for good.

Spears made it 23-19 with a kill, and the Pirates emerged with the victory in straight sets after a couple of Notre Dame attack errors.

"It's been, probably, our biggest negative this year -- unforced errors," Stroup said. "If we don't beat ourselves, then [we're OK]."

The Pirates will try to defend their district title against No. 1 Dexter Bearcats at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Dexter defeated Perryville 25-18, 25-23 to close out the regular season Thursday.

"There's going to be a lot more on the line this time around," Mirly said. "It's district time, and when girls put that uniform on it could be the last time.

"Pressure and nerves gets to you sometimes, and we've just got to make sure that we're not scared that it could be our last time. We're looking forward to it and ready for the challenge."