Dexter & Advance secure wins on Day 1 of SCAA volleyball tournament

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. - The favorites advanced in the varsity bracket in Day 1 of the SCAA volleyball tournament at Bloomfield Monday.

DUSTIN WARD - dward@dailystatesman.com Puxico's Sarah Copeland makes a set.

Defending tournament champion Dexter increased its winning streak to 17 games with a 25-10, 25-5 victory against eighth-seeded Bell City. Third-seeded Advanced followed with a 25-20, 25-23 win against sixth-seeded Puxico.

Bell City gave Dexter a brief scare when it jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first set. Dexter scored the next eight points to move ahead 9-4. Bell City trailed 16-10 before Dexter calculated the final nine points of the first set to secure a 15-point victory.

Bell City scored the first point of the second set. Dexter followed by scoring the next 21 points to move ahead 21-1.

Dexter freshman Krysten Garrison put together one of her best hitting performances of the season against Bell City. Garrison had six kills in each set. She finished with 12 of Dexter's 20 kills and also tallied three of her team's five blocks.

Brittany Brown tallied six of Dexter's nine aces serving. Lexie Barnes recorded the other three aces.

Julia Hahn had 13 of Dexter's 18 assists setting.

DUSTIN WARD - dward@dailystatesman.com Dexter's Krysten Garrison spikes a ball.

Junior Ashley McPherson led the Bell City offense with a pair of blocks and aces.

Advance never trailed by more than one or never led by more than five in its first set. Puxico's only first-set lead was 18-17. Advance followed with a 5-0 run to move ahead 23-18. The spurt included a pair of aces from senior Hannah Clark and two kills and a block by freshman Alanis Below.

Puxico trimmed the deficit to 22-19 and 23-20 on kills by senior Jessica Null but never got closer than three points after Advance's late surge.

Advance led 6-2 in the second set before Puxico went on a 6-0 run to move ahead 8-6. Puxico senior Samantha Cryts had four straight kills in the scoring sequence.

Advance followed with a 12-4 run of its own to take a 18-12 lead. Advance increased the margin to 22-15. Puxico scored the next five points to get as close 22-20 before the teams traded the final six points of the match.

Advance forced Puxico to commit 11 attack errors in the final set.

DUSTIN WARD - dward@dailystatesman.com Bell City's Audrie Woodson passes a ball.

Below paced Advance with eight kills. Brylee Morse tallied five more kills for Advance.

Hannah Clark, Madeline Kennedy and Ashtyn Driskill had two kills a piece for Advance.

Lexis Garner notched eight digs while added nine assists.

Cryts led Puxico's offense with eight kills. Null added four kills and Amanda Powell finished with three kills.

Fifth-seeded Bloomfield upset fourth-seeded Puxico 25-18, 19-25, 25-23 in the only junior varsity quarterfinal Monday. Bloomfield plays top-seeded Dexter in a junior varsity semifinal Thursday at 5 p.m.

DUSTIN WARD - dward@dailystatesman.com Puxico's Amanda Powell chases after a ball.

Action continues Tuesday with third-seeded Advance playing sixth-seeded Bernie at 5 p.m. in a junior varsity quarterfinal, second-seeded Bernie playing seventh-seeded Richland at 6 p.m. in a varsity quarterfinal and fourth-seeded Bloomfield playing fifth-seeded Woodland at 7 p.m. in a varsity quarterfinal.

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