Championship pairings set at SCAA tourney

ADVANCE, Mo. -- After Bernie and Dexter both amped up the crowd with come-from-behind wins in Games 1 and 2 of their semifinal match at the SCAA volleyball tournament, the stage was set for an exciting Game 3 to see which team would advance to tonight's varsity championship match against Bloomfield.

Game 3 proved to be competitive but it was hard to match the intensity of the first two as Dexter built a big early lead and held on to complete a 26-24, 27-29, 25-19 win and keeps its title hopes alive.

Jerry Jarrell photo - Quick reaction - Advance's Ashtyn Hudson reacts to a hard hit ball that she makes a quick reaction to during junior varsity action at the SCAA tournament Thursday night. Advance defeated Puxico to reach the title game tonight against Dexter.

Top-seeded Bloomfield beat back a Game 1 challenge by No. 2 Advance in the other varsity semifinal match, then cruised home with a 25-23, 25-16 win.

Jerry Jarrell photo - All out effort - Bernie's Katie Baker and Tori Lowery (No. 3 on floor) both back diving efforts to dig a Dexter shot during SCAA tournament action Thursday at Advance. Watching the play unfold in the background is Dexter's McKenzie Mitchell.

"Games with Bernie are always fun, espeically when they go three," Dexter coach Lauren Hutchcraft said after the win. "The girls pulled together and got the win. I think they thought they had it (after Game 1) and they started to let up and it slipped out of their hands. We talked about not letting up, but I don't know... what can you do?"

Bloomfield and No. 2 Dexter will now meet for the varsity title tonight at 8 p. m. at Advance.

"We lost to them (Bloomfield) in two during the regular season and Bernie just beat them in the regular season, so it just depends on who shows up," Hutchcraft said of tonight's championship match.

Bloomfield coach Starla Pulley was pleased with her team's effort against Advance on their home court.

"The girls came out a little slow in the first set, but gained momentum in the second set to push through with the win," Pulley commented. "I am very proud of the girls and the way they are playing right now. We have made several changes to our line up this year and the girls have done a great job adjusting and working as a team."

In the junior varsity semifinals, Dexter's undefeated squad eliminated No. 4 Bloomfield, 25-10, 25-14, while No. 2 Advance slipped past No. 3 Puxico, 25-20, 22-25, 25-20.

Jerry Jarrell photo - Eyes on the ball - Dexter senior Lauren Ward goes for the set as Bernie's Chelsea Wagner (No. 14) looks on during varsity seminal play Thursday at the SCAA tournament. Dexter slipped past Bernie in three games to reach the title match tonight vs. Bloomfield.

Dexter and Advance will meet for the JV title before the varsity tilt at 7 o'clock.

Third-place games will tip off at 5 p. m. with Bloomfield and Puxico junior varsity teams taking the court, followed at 6 o'clock with the varsity match between Bernie and Advance.

In the evenings finale between Dexter and Bernie, the Lady Bearcats trailed early in Game 1 until four-straight points tied the game at 20-all. Bernie fought back to take a 24-21 lead on a service winner by Chelsea Wagner, but the Lady 'Cats got on a roll and finished on a 5-0 run to take Game 1, 26-24.

Dexter was poised to make it a two-game sweep by building a 23-16 lead, but it was the Lady Mules turn to dig in. Bernie went on a 8-1 run to tie the game at 24-all before Dexter's Brittany Harris' kill off of a block sent Lauren Ward to the line serving for the match. A Dexter error again saw the game tied (25-25) before Ellen Snider's kill gave Bernie match point at 26-25.

Harris again answered for Dexter when her kill attempt went off a block (26-26) and the junior followed it up with a clean block of her own to give the Lady 'Cats match point, 27-26.

Bernie was not to be denied as Tori Lowery delivered a sharply angled hit from the outside, Jordan Ellenberg came up with a winning block and Paige Mayo's service winner brought an exciting game to a quick end, 29-27.

Game 3 saw Dexter jump out to a 16-7 lead and increase the advantage to 22-10 before Bernie began to play with their backs to the wall. The Lady Mules finished the game on a 8-3 run, but it wasn't enough to overcome the early deficit.

NOTE: All of tonight's trophy games can be viewed live at http://www.dailystatesman.com/advancehornets .