Staff writer
The Peabody-Burns High School volleyball team finished third in the 2012 Wheat State League tournament Saturday at Peabody.
Two victories and one loss in pool play advanced the team to the semifinals. The squad defeated Hope, 24-26, 25-12, and 31-29, and Solomon, 25-19 and 25-13, but lost to Centre, 25-19 and 25-20.
Semi-final action pitted the Lady Warriors against top-seeded Goessel. PBHS lost, 25-22 and 25-13. The Lady Warriors won the consolation bracket over Elyria Christian, 25-18 and 25-19. The tournament crown went to Goessel. Centre placed second.
Hope
Rayna Barnes opened the scoring for PBHS with a kill. The Lady Warriors fell behind but four kills from Paige Lewis kept the team within one, 7-6. McKenzie Ensminger earned a kill and Lewis and Kaycy Gonzalez combined for three aces but the PBHS squad remained behind, 13-11. Katy Benson scored with a tip and Lewis and Brandee Burnett each had a kill. With two aces from Ensminger, the team was behind, 22-19. In the final five points of the game, Barnes had a kill and Burnett scored a kill and a tip to tie the game at 24. Hope took the final two points. PBHS lost, 26-24.
Barnes scored two early points in game two. Brianna Larsen gave the team the 6-4 edge with a kill and Lewis followed with a kill and an ace. PBHS attacked in the final half of the game and won, 25-12.
Three kills by Barnes and two from Burnett helped build the early 6-0 lead. Lewis earned two kills, but a rally by Hope brought them back to within one point, 10-9. The score was close in the last 11 points of the match with kills by Benson, Barnes, Lewis, and Gonzalez. PBHS took the win, 31-29.
Solomon
Gonzalez opened with a kill. Barnes and Burnett followed with points. With three aces from Ensminger, PBHS led, 9-0. Jordan Gibson got into the scoring late with three aces and Ensminger ended the game 25-11 with an ace.
PBHS fell behind early, but net plays from Benson, Barnes, Lewis, and Burnett rallied the team for the come from behind victory, 25-21.
Centre
Down two early, 3-5, PBHS trailed for the remainder of the match. Barnes, Burnett, Ensminger, and Benson all scored but PBHS lost, 25-19.
The Lady Warriors had the edge in game two and led 13-7 with points from Burnett, Barnes, Larsen, Cierra Foth, and Gonzalez. A late rally from Centre stopped the surge and PBHS was defeated, 25-20.
Goessel
PBHS controlled game one early with good net play from Gonzalez, Barnes, Burnett, and Lewis. The Lady Warriors had Goessel down by four points, 22-18, but the Bluebirds came back to tie the game at 22. Goessel earned the final 3 points in the contest to win 25-22.
In game two, the Lady Warriors trailed by 10 and lost, 24-13. Gonzalez, Barnes, Lewis, Gibson, and Ensminger all scored points.
Elyria Christian
A Burnett ace tied the game 3-3. Elyria went on a run and led PBHS, 10-6. Two Gonzalez kills, a Burnett tip, and a Lewis ace brought the Lady Warriors to within one, 10-9. Larsen tied the game, 10-10, with a tip.
PBHS points from Gonzalez, Ensminger, Burnett, and Barnes sealed the game, 25-18.
Ensminger opened game two with an ace. Barnes had two kills and an ace. Lewis added two kills and Foth had an ace for the 10-5 margin. Gonzalez ended the consolation match, 25-20.