Jayhawk-Linn’s Amory Miller (11) and Riverton’s Ambur Simmons joust for a ball at the net Saturday at the Jayhawk Invitational. (Photo by David Wolman)
Join our Mailing List!
Please click the link below to sign up for your community paper mailing list. Stay up to date with all the events going on in your community as well as the latest news.Sign Up Today!
Jayhawk-Linn Volleyball Goes 5-1 At Home Invite
Three Jayhawks, Two Buffalos Named All-Tourney
BY DAVID WOLMAN, DAVIDWOLMAN@MICONEWS.COM
The Jayhawk-Linn volleyball team reached the Class 3A state tournament for the first time in 23 years last season. It has aspirations of returning again this year.
It’s been a near identical showing for the Jayhawks at the season-opening Jayhawk Invitational the last two seasons. They went 6-1 last season and 5-1 Saturday. If that’s any indicator, they could be on the path back to state.
To open pool play, the Jayhawks dominated Northeast Arma 25-11, 25-16. Jayhawk-Linn raced out to a 17-1 lead to open the match on its way to the two-set win.
The Jayhawks won their first four matches in two sets. While sloppy play dictated most of their matches — not uncommon for teams stepping onto the court for the first time in the season — they found a way to place first in their pool and third overall, out of nine teams.
Jayhawk-Linn took advantage of numerous unforced errors by Southeast in its next match, rolling to an easy 25-10, 25-12 win to close out pool play.
Riverton, which lost both games in pool play, nearly pulled off the upset of the Jayhawks in the first match of the second round. Behind two aces by one of their servers and a couple of palm violations, Riverton was two points away from closing out the first game, leading 23-18.
Two points later, with Riverton leading 23-20,Riverton’s players and coaching staff contended that a ball swatted by one of their players was tipped by a Jayhawk before it landed out of bounds and, therefore, a point should have been awarded to Riverton. But the officials ruled the ball was never tipped.
Jayhawk-Linn scored eight of the last nine points of the game to rally for a 26-24 win. Amory Miller served seven straight points in the second game as the Jayhawks finished off Riverton with an easy 25-12 win. Cassie Rockers had nine digs and nine kills in the match. Ashton Spencer, the Jayhawks’ setter, added six assists.
Jayhawk-Linn was in a similar position against Iola in its fourth match on the day, but found a way to pull out a 25-16, 26-24 win.
A state tournament-type of feeling was experienced in the Jayhawks’ next match, with the winner advancing to the tournament championship.
Jayhawk-Linn and Burlington played a close match that lasted just under an hour. Burlington took the first game 26-24, but the Jayhawks scored seven of the final 10 points of the second game to pull out a 25-17 win and force a deciding game.
Neither team led by more than three points in the third game. A kill by Miller gave the Jayhawks an early 7-4 lead, but Burlington kept it close the remainder of the way.
Twice, Jayhawk-Linn had to fight off match points. Another kill by Miller tied the game at 25, but back-to-back kills gave Burlington a 27-25 win.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Jayhawks coach Christa Holt said. “We’ve got a long way to go, but it was a good showing. I’ll take it.”
Jayhawk-Linn rebounded to defeat Prairie View, 25-21, 25-20, in the third-place match.
Rockers, Taylor Dawson, Jessie McGown and Chelsea Beckman were named to the all-tournament team.
PRAIRIE VIEW WINS TWO MATCHES
Last season, Prairie View finished 4-34. It’s already halfway from matching that win total.
To open pool play, the Buffalos lost a heartbreaker, falling to Burlington 29-27, 26-24.
However, Prairie View won its next two matches. After losing the first game to Iola 25-10, the Buffalos responded in the next two games, winning 25-11, 25-14 to take the match.
Prairie View followed that up with a 25-22, 26-24 win over Southeast to open second-round play.
Central Heights handled the Buffalos in the second match of the second round, winning 25-12, 25-12.
Jacque Burk, who led Prairie View in kills, and Codi Chambers were named to the all-tournament team.
printable version
e-mail this story
It’s been a near identical showing for the Jayhawks at the season-opening Jayhawk Invitational the last two seasons. They went 6-1 last season and 5-1 Saturday. If that’s any indicator, they could be on the path back to state.
To open pool play, the Jayhawks dominated Northeast Arma 25-11, 25-16. Jayhawk-Linn raced out to a 17-1 lead to open the match on its way to the two-set win.
The Jayhawks won their first four matches in two sets. While sloppy play dictated most of their matches — not uncommon for teams stepping onto the court for the first time in the season — they found a way to place first in their pool and third overall, out of nine teams.
Jayhawk-Linn took advantage of numerous unforced errors by Southeast in its next match, rolling to an easy 25-10, 25-12 win to close out pool play.
Riverton, which lost both games in pool play, nearly pulled off the upset of the Jayhawks in the first match of the second round. Behind two aces by one of their servers and a couple of palm violations, Riverton was two points away from closing out the first game, leading 23-18.
Two points later, with Riverton leading 23-20,Riverton’s players and coaching staff contended that a ball swatted by one of their players was tipped by a Jayhawk before it landed out of bounds and, therefore, a point should have been awarded to Riverton. But the officials ruled the ball was never tipped.
Jayhawk-Linn scored eight of the last nine points of the game to rally for a 26-24 win. Amory Miller served seven straight points in the second game as the Jayhawks finished off Riverton with an easy 25-12 win. Cassie Rockers had nine digs and nine kills in the match. Ashton Spencer, the Jayhawks’ setter, added six assists.
Jayhawk-Linn was in a similar position against Iola in its fourth match on the day, but found a way to pull out a 25-16, 26-24 win.
A state tournament-type of feeling was experienced in the Jayhawks’ next match, with the winner advancing to the tournament championship.
Jayhawk-Linn and Burlington played a close match that lasted just under an hour. Burlington took the first game 26-24, but the Jayhawks scored seven of the final 10 points of the second game to pull out a 25-17 win and force a deciding game.
Neither team led by more than three points in the third game. A kill by Miller gave the Jayhawks an early 7-4 lead, but Burlington kept it close the remainder of the way.
Twice, Jayhawk-Linn had to fight off match points. Another kill by Miller tied the game at 25, but back-to-back kills gave Burlington a 27-25 win.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Jayhawks coach Christa Holt said. “We’ve got a long way to go, but it was a good showing. I’ll take it.”
Jayhawk-Linn rebounded to defeat Prairie View, 25-21, 25-20, in the third-place match.
Rockers, Taylor Dawson, Jessie McGown and Chelsea Beckman were named to the all-tournament team.
PRAIRIE VIEW WINS TWO MATCHES
Last season, Prairie View finished 4-34. It’s already halfway from matching that win total.
To open pool play, the Buffalos lost a heartbreaker, falling to Burlington 29-27, 26-24.
However, Prairie View won its next two matches. After losing the first game to Iola 25-10, the Buffalos responded in the next two games, winning 25-11, 25-14 to take the match.
Prairie View followed that up with a 25-22, 26-24 win over Southeast to open second-round play.
Central Heights handled the Buffalos in the second match of the second round, winning 25-12, 25-12.
Jacque Burk, who led Prairie View in kills, and Codi Chambers were named to the all-tournament team.