C1D3VB: Advance maintains 'composure,' withstands challenging Leopold

Advance High School senior Addi Carlton takes the winning plaque to her awaiting teammates after the Hornets had beaten Leopold in four sets in the MSHSAA Class 1 District 3 championship match on Tuesday at Zalma High School.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

ZALMA – With 21 trips to the MSHSAA State Finals, including seven state championships on its resume, there isn’t much that can rattle those within the Advance High School volleyball program.

Leopold had an opportunity to do so against the Hornets midway through its MSHSAA Class 1 District 3 championship match on Tuesday at Zalma High School, but Advance withstood the challenge and ultimately prevailed in four sets 20-25, 28-26, 25-15, 25-18.

The District title was the ninth consecutive for the Hornets (20-11-2).

After stunning (to a degree) most in the packed gym with a first-set win, Leopold found itself in an 18-11 hole in the second set. However, Leopold rallied to trim its deficit to 22-17 and veteran Advance coach Erin Hoffman called a timeout.

“A word that was used in every timeout tonight was composure,” Hoffman said. “You can’t get too high (and) you can’t get too low. Because, if you get too high and something goes wrong, you drop.”

The timeout didn’t get Advance out of peril with Leopold. The Wildcats pulled to within 22-20 before Hornet junior Emma Eilers hit a kill to stop the Advance bleeding.

The Hornets climbed back to 23-21 but Leopold senior Ava Jansen got a kill for a 23-22 score, which resulted in Hoffman calling another timeout.

The Wildcats (23-8-1) got another kill from sophomore Rylie Schreiner to tie the set at 24, and Leopold had all the momentum going for it.

“This game is such a game of momentum,” Hoffman said.

Advance had a hit sail long, which put it down 25-26, but sophomore Olivia Kennedy hit a kill to tie the set at 26, and the mojo had switched directions.

Hornet sophomore Cashlynn Sturgeon hit a kill, which was followed by a service ace sophomore Mallory Mayberry, and Advance had tied the match at one set apiece, as opposed to being in a really bad 0-2 spot.

“That was a critical moment,” Leopold coach Heather Jansen said afterward. “But I am so proud of these girls. They dug in whenever anybody else would have just backed down and let go.”

The Leopold High School volleyball squad poses with the runner-up plaque after falling to Advance High School in four sets in the MSHSAA Class 1 District 3 championship match on Tuesday at Zalma High School. (Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com)

Leopold (23-8-1) was competitive throughout the remainder of the match, but Advance was able to keep it at bay without as much stress as the opening sets.

“I feel like this is what these games should be like,” Hoffman said. “It should be two great teams playing against each other, fighting back and forth for every point.”

Leopold graduates three seniors (Shandy Elfrink, Ava Jansen, and Addyson Dailey). The trio won 47 games over the past two seasons after enduring losing seasons as freshmen and sophomores.

“Advance is a huge adversary,” Heather Jansen said. “We knew what we were going up against. We knew that they had a title to defend.

“We just really, really, really wanted to see if we could have a shot at it.”

Advance will move on to the MSHSAA Class 1 Sectional 2 on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. (location TBA), where it will face C1D4 winner Oak Ridge (19-8-3).

The Bluejays beat New Haven 3-1 to claim their District title and are coached by former Dexter High School coach Starla Pulley.