Bearcats beat Advance, clinch share of SCAA volleyball title

Dexter players celebrate a point during Tuesday’s Stoddard County Activities Association volleyball match against Advance at Advance High School.

Dexter Statesman/Mike Buhler

ADVANCE — It had been more than two years since a Stoddard County Activities Association volleyball team had defeated the Advance Hornets.

Until Tuesday night.

The Dexter Bearcats got strong play at the net and played perhaps their best game of the season to defeat the Hornets 25-15, 22-25, 25-17, 25-11 and lock up at least a share of the SCAA regular-season title.

“I’m proud of my girls for sticking together and keeping it locked down, minus all the missed serves and silly errors here and there,” a happy Dexter coach Haylee Orf said after the match. “I feel like they did a great job of coming together, keeping their heads up and high and continuing to find the holes on the court.”

On the other side, Advance coach Erin Hoffman found several silver linings in Tuesday’s loss.

“I think we came out, we showed a lot of grit and we showed a lot of drive,” Hoffman said afterwards. “I’m thrilled to death with what my girls did tonight. I saw huge improvement and that’s what matters.”

With the win, the Bearcats (14-2-1, 6-0 SCAA) snapped Advance’s 13-game winning streak in SCAA play. Dexter also handed the Hornets their last SCAA loss on Sept. 27, 2022.

“It’s amazing,” Dexter senior Karis Kennedy said. “We have been working so hard for this, and all of us are beyond excited.”

Dexter middle hitter Mauriona Menley echoed Kennedy’s sentiments.

“We’ve been wanting that one for a few years now, so it feels really nice to finally win,” Dexter middle hitter Mauriona Menley said.

Menley had a big night for the Bearcats, racking up nine blocks (six solo), eight kills and four aces as her size — she’s an even six feet tall — was a huge factor Tuesday.

“She took care of the ball every time she was up there,” Orf said, “and they had a hard time putting her down.”

The Hornets (10-5-1, 4-1) took an early 7-4 lead in the first set, but Dexter scored 12 of the next 17 points to seize control of the set, taking a 16-12 lead on Kate Nichols’ kill. The Bearcats then closed the set on a 9-2 run to grab the 1-0 lead.

Advance bounced back, closing the second set on a 9-4 run to tie the match at 1-1.

“Advance played some great defense, especially that second set,” Orf said. “It seems like they were digging up everything we put down. Props to their coach — they’re coached well, and I feel like they held their heads really well there so towards the end.”

After the Hornets took an early 2-0 lead in the third set, Dexter scored nine of the next 10 points to go ahead 9-3. Advance did not give up, pulling within one point (13-12) on a Brogan Hawkins ace, but the Bearcats scored the next five points and never trailed again in the set.

Orf believes losing the second set might have motivated her team.

“Our hope was to get it done in three (sets) but obviously that didn’t happen,” Orf said. “I think that fired the girls up to put that pedal down and get it done.”

In the deciding fourth set, Dexter used a 6-0 run to snap an early 4-4 tie and take a 10-4 lead on a Nichols kill as the Bearcats were in control the rest of the way.

Nichols had a double-double on the night with 18 kills and 13 digs, while Kennedy added seven kills, three aces and 13 digs. Klaire Essner had six kills, three aces and 15 digs, while setter Cali White added 28 assists, three aces and nine digs and Avery Riley finished the night with 16 digs.

Dexter is at the SEMO Conference Tournament on Thursday, where the Bearcats are the No. 2 seed and will face either Scott City or Sikeston in the quarterfinals at 3:45 p.m. Meanwhile, the Hornets head to Puxico on Thursday for another SCAA match.