Three area teams set for volleyball sectionals

Jefferson City head coach Ali Eskens (center) speaks to the Lady Jays in a huddle prior to a match this season against Helias at Rackers Fieldhouse.
Jefferson City head coach Ali Eskens (center) speaks to the Lady Jays in a huddle prior to a match this season against Helias at Rackers Fieldhouse.

Three area volleyball teams will try to continue their seasons tonight in the state sectional round.

The Jefferson City Lady Jays travel to play the Pacific Lady Indians in the Class 4 Tournament, while the Blair Oaks Lady Falcons go on the road to face the Hallsville Lady Indians and the California Lady Pintos will host the Odessa Lady Bulldogs, both in the Class 3 Tournament.

All 40 sectional matches across the state are scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. first serve.

Digital tickets must be purchased ahead of time to gain entry to the state volleyball matches. Tickets can be purchased at mshsaa.org/CMSPages/Tickets.aspx.

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Jefferson City (19-14-2) won its second district title in three seasons, defeating the Bolivar Lady Liberators 25-14, 19-25, 25-14, 25-11 in the District 10 championship at School of the Osage.

Maddie Mitchell had a team-high 21 kills in the Lady Jays' two district matches, followed by Claire Stegeman with 17 kills and Hannah Linthacum with 16. Hannah Vogt had a team-best 34 assists in districts and Mitchell added 27 assists.

Abby Blake posted 50 digs in the district tournament for Jefferson City, followed by Mitchell with 34. Linthacum recorded a team-best 10 blocks and Mitchell served six aces.

Pacific (16-12-1) outlasted Rolla 25-16, 20-25, 25-17, 23-25, 20-18 on Tuesday to win the District 9 Tournament at Union. In the fifth set, the Lady Indians served for match point at 14-12, then the Lady Bulldogs rallied to serve for match point at 16-15, 17-16 and 18-17.

Pacific responded by claiming the next three points to win the district title, the program's first since 1995.

The Lady Indians, who finished with a 1-17 record last season, have won six of their past seven matches.

Pacific is 5-4-1 all-time in the state tournament, winning the Class 4A state title in 1994. Jefferson City is trying to reach the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2012.

The winner of tonight's match will face either Logan-Rogersville (20-11-1) or Webb City (19-12-2) in the state quarterfinals Saturday. With a win, Jefferson City would host the quarterfinal match at Fleming Fieldhouse.

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Chomyn

Blair Oaks (31-4), which is ranked No. 1 in Class 3 by MaxPreps, clinched its first district championship since 2010 with Monday's 25-17, 25-23, 25-21 win against Fatima in the District 8 championship in Wardsville.

Autumn Bax leads Blair Oaks with 337 kills this season, including 19 against Fatima, while Kennedy Flanner has 255 kills. Madi Rissmiller has recorded 722 of the team's 1,122 assists.

Payton Mitchell has shattered the school's single-season digs record with 521, while Sarah Girard has 67 blocks. Rissmiller has also served a team-high 55 aces.

Hallsville (25-6-2) swept Centralia 28-26, 25-9, 25-21 in Tuesday's District 7 championship, the Lady Indians' first district title in program history.

Ashlyn Hough leads Hallsville with 206 kills, 369 assists and 67 aces, while Lauren Blakemore has 201 kills. Makenzie Sorrels leads the team with 409 digs and Madison Threlkeld has a team-high 43 blocks.

The two teams met Sept. 23 in Wardsville for their Tri-County Conference matchup. The Lady Falcons won 25-14, 25-19, 25-13.

Blair Oaks will be trying to reach the state quarterfinals for the first time in program history. The Lady Falcons are 0-3 in state sectional matches.

The winner of tonight's match will face either John Burroughs (22-3-5) or Orchard Farm (18-9-1) in the state quarterfinals Saturday. With a win, Blair Oaks would either play at Orchard Farm or host John Burroughs in the quarterfinal match.

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California (25-7-1), ranked No. 8 in Class 3 by MaxPreps, won its fourth district title in the past six seasons Monday with a 25-20, 25-15, 26-24 victory against Eldon in the District 13 Tournament at California.

Ella Lewis leads the Lady Pintos with 276 kills, followed by Isabella Kincaid with 222 kills. Emma Whitson and Bailey Lage have 466 and 301 assists, respectively.

Whitson has a team-best 279 digs, while Abby Trachsel has 261 digs and Kincaid has 218. Whitson also leads California with 50 aces and Lewis has a team-high 47 blocks.

Odessa (31-3-2) defeated Clinton 25-17, 25-21, 25-20 to claim the District 14 championship Tuesday in Odessa, giving the Lady Bulldogs their third straight district title.

Cali Meierarend leads Odessa with 244 kills, while Anna Bradley is next with 230 kills. Lilly Malizzi has 552 assists, Emma Austin has 225 digs and 41 blocks and Meierarend has served 83 aces.

Both teams have defeated Marshall, Savannah and Sedalia Smith-Cotton, and both have suffered losses to Pleasant Hill.

Odessa is 0-4 all-time in the sectional round, while California is seeking its first sectional win in eight tries.

The winner of tonight's match will face either Notre Dame de Sion (15-14) or Cameron (28-4) in the state quarterfinals Saturday. With a win, California would either play at Cameron or host Notre Dame de Sion in the quarterfinal match.

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