Scott City volleyball reaches Class 2 championship match

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Scott City junior middle hitter Brooke Simpson, a three-year starter who has battled ankle injuries that sidelined her three times during her first two seasons, felt many different emotions when riding to the Class 2 state volleyball tournament Friday to compete in a round robin with Ash Grove, Hermann and Cole Camp.

"On the bus, on our way here, I was literally shaking," she said. "I felt so much pressure. I was excited. I was nervous. I was happy to be here. I just really wanted to get here and I wanted to show everybody what our team could do. I wanted to win. I want first place."

Simpson and her teammates earned the second seed with a successful day at the round robin, and will play for first place in Class 2 at 1:30 p.m. today against Hermann at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.

Simpson posted 22 kills, 24 digs and six service aces to help Scott City to the second-best record out of the four teams competing in the round robin, which consists of all the teams playing one another twice.

The Rams, ranked No. 1 in Class 2, swept Ash Grove 25-18, 25-12. Hermann then swept them 25-20, 25-19. Scott City bounced back to sweep Cole Camp 25-15, 25-20.

AARON EISENHAUER ~ aeisenhauer@semissourian.comScott City volleyball players and coaches gather in a circle before the first game of the day during the Class Two state semi-finals on Thursday, November 7, 2008 in Kansas City.

Hermann posted the best record at 5-1. Its only loss came to Ash Grove, which finished the round robin with a 3-3 record and will play Cole Camp ( 0-6) in the third-place match today.

Scott City (37-2-3) built fast leads of 12-4 and 16-6 against Ash Grove.

Simpson, along with foreign exchange student Anna Laitinen and freshman middle hitter Katie Hogan, all attacked well, using a combination of hard hits and good placement. The three combined for 15 kills against the Pirates.

Sweeping Ash Grove was crucial to earning the second seed because the Pirates finished the round robin strong, winning three of their four.

Whenever Hogan would smash a powerful kill or make a strong play, Scott City students sitting in the balcony and wearing blue and yellow clothing would chant "She's a freshman." And when Simpson smashed a kill, the students loudly chanted Simpson's full name.

AARON EISENHAUER ~ aeisenhauer@semissourian.comAnna Laitinen lunged for the ball during Scott City's match against Ash Grove during the Class 1 round-robin semifinals Friday in Kansas City.

"It was amazing," Simpson said about the atmosphere. "To know that you could be the best team in state and to be the first Scott City team to get first. It was amazing."

The Rams had 11 service aces against Ash Grove.

Junior setter Katie Diebold had four of those aces, including three straight during the first game against the Pirates.

Diebold had 24 assists and six kills in the six games combined. She is in her first year as a setter after playing outside, middle and back row last year. She is sharing the duties of setter with fellow junior Jordan McFall.

"Me and Jordan are best friends, so we spend a lot of time together," Diebold said. "This is my first year setting, so I'm just getting into things. It's just been fun."

Scott City's Katie Hogan bumps the ball to a teammate during Friday's final four action.

McFall finished the six games with 27 assists.

The Scott City volleyball team is playing in its first final four after six district titles this decade. Diebold and the rest of the Rams appear ready.

"I would have never thought we could have got here [to the title game]," Diebold said. "We're here and I still don't believe I'm at state and about to play for first place."