It was the kind of match worthy of the postseason. It's just too bad they can't do it again in districts at the end of the year.
The Helias Lady Crusaders and Jefferson City Lady Jays, relegated to different districts when the playoffs roll around, put together a match worthy of late October on Tuesday night.
When it was all over at Fleming Fieldhouse, it was the Lady Crusaders who emerged with a 22-25, 25-13, 25-22 victory.
"Matches like this will show us more of what we need to work on," Helias coach David Harris said. "While it's kind of nerve-racking for the coaches, it's good for us to have matches like this, because we've got a tough schedule and we have to play more teams like this in more environments like this."
First-year Jefferson City coach Christine Meyer, getting her first taste of the crosstown showdown, came away impressed.
"It's awesome," she said. "It's unlike any other match we're going to face as far as the environment we're playing in, which is just fun. It's fun for the girls, it's fun for the fans. There's nothing like it until you get into the playoffs."