Regional volleyball tournaments continued on Tuesday. Here are the results:
9th Region at Ryle
Ryle 3, Dixie Heights 1
The 33rd District champion Raiders (23-15 overall) took care of the 34th District runner-up Colonels (15-10) in three straight by 25-19, 25-21, 25-17 scores after Dixie Heights won the first game 25-22.
“Dixie Heights played a nice game. We played them twice during the regular season,” said Tasha Lovins, Ryle head coach. “We knew it was not going to be easy. I’m proud of our girls for coming through.”
Ryle setter/defensive specialist Maddie Clark and Dixie Heights power hitter Maia Long did whatever possible to extend their seasons one more game. Clark had 14 assists, one dig and two aces and Long pounded out 21 kills, 10 digs and two aces.
“When we played them earlier in the season, they took us to four so we knew they weren’t just going to give it to us,” Clark said. “We pushed to how we know how to play in the next three games and worked as a team. We didn’t want this to be our last game of the season because we have more to do.”
Ryle’s depth ultimately won out. The Raiders lost freshman hitter/setter Morgan Heater in the first game after she collided with Long at the net. But other players picked up the slack.
The Raiders unofficially had 35 kills, 24 assists, 37 digs, one block and seven aces. Junior hitter/setter Kiana Dinn did her usual thing with 11 kills, seven assists, eight digs and two aces and junior libero Alexis Woolf had 11 digs, two assists and one ace. Sophomore hitter Olivia Karlosky had six kills, 12 digs and one ace. Others such as junior hitters Abby Lester, Merisa Workman and sophomore hitter Karsyn Griffin contributed in the balanced Raider attack.
“Morgan’s a great player. It was really hard to fill her shoes,” Griffin said. “But we just had to work hard. You have to stay calm and keep your head up.”
Dixie Heights unofficially had 35 kills, 35 assists, 45 digs and seven aces. Junior Maggie Best recorded her 500th career kill in the win, finishing with 10 to go with six digs and two aces. Junior libero Christen Tarter had 20 digs and three aces and freshman setter Maddie Kelly had 30 assists, two kills and three digs.
“I’m really proud of us, especially not having our setter (freshman Riley Byrne) so we used our junior varsity setter and she did an amazing job for us,” said Julie Kelly, Dixie Heights head coach. “Maia and Maggie are obviously amazing hitters so they make Maddie look good as a setter. It’s a tough loss. I feel like we were so close we could have done, especially after that first game. But I feel like we left it all out there.”
Dixie Heights led 17-15 in the second game before Ryle scored seven in a row to go up 22-17. Best had an ace before the Raiders took the game on a Colonel hitting error.
Ryle led 7-3 before Dixie Heights came back to tie the game three times before taking a 17-16 lead on a Best kill. But Ryle scored the game’s last four points to win it taking advantage of a Griffin kill and three Colonel hitting errors.
Ryle saw Clark record two aces to start the fourth game jumping out to a 5-1 advantage after Long opened the game with a kill. Dixie Heights cut the lead to 14-11 after two junior Celia Wallace aces. Ryle finished off the match with a Dinn ace and kill.
Ryle is going to the regional semifinals for the third straight season hoping to earn a second appearance in the region championship in three years. Dixie Heights last won a region quarterfinal game in 2018.
Holy Cross 3, Highlands 0
The 35th District runner-up Indians (30-8) moved into the region semifinals for the second time in three years with the 25-13, 25-19, 25-23 win to face host Ryle at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the region semifinals.
When in system, the six-time 36th District champion Bluebirds (19-14) could not stop the Holy Cross dynamic sister duo of senior setter Maya Hunt and junior 6-foot-2-inch power hitter Julia Hunt, named the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association 9th Region Player of the Year on Tuesday. Maya Hunt had all 27 Holy Cross assists and Julia Hunt pounded off the usual fastballs with 26 kills.
“Julia especially has that drive,” said Jill Hunt, Holy Cross head coach. “Especially when she gets to that front row, the game is going to change. None of us like to lose. This was big for the seniors. I think if we can get that first-ball pass, we’re pretty good.”
Holy Cross unofficially had 41 kills, 33 digs, five blocks and nine aces. Julia Hunt dug up six balls, blocked three and had three aces. Maya Hunt also added two kills on setter dumps, dug up five balls and had one ace.
“I have to owe it all to my passers because without them getting the ball up to me, I never would be able to set the way I do,” Maya Hunt said. “Big props to my hitters too because even if (the set) is too tight, they all make it work. I’ve definitely improved (setting) since I was younger and I plan to keep working on it.”
The sisters had a good amount of help. Senior hitter Rylee Hood had nine kills and 10 digs and senior libero Natalie Bessler had eight digs. Junior right side hitter Luci Wurtz added three kills and three aces.
“We’ve worked really hard to get here,” Hood said. “We went through a couple times in the game where we lacked on communication. But once we picked that up and held each other accountable, we got into rhythm. We had a really good time.”
Highlands gave a valiant effort with an unofficial 22 kills, 18 assists, 37 digs, one block and eight aces. The Bluebirds tried to key on the Holy Cross serve-reception issues seeing senior hitter Bailey Houston record six kills and four aces. Freshman Cayden McIntosh added three aces.
Junior libero Annie Ellison and freshman defensive specialist Hayden Gessner had 17 and seven digs respectively giving the Bluebirds chances. Sophomore setter Ella Cox had nine assists and senior setter Kenzi Vennefron had eight. Junior outside hitter Annemarie Sempier added six kills.
Holy Cross had its way for the most part in the first game. But the Bluebirds built an 18-12 lead off two McIntosh aces and a Houston kill prompting a Holy Cross timeout.
The Indians came back to tie the game on two Julia Hunt kills and a Hood ace. They scored the game’s last six points off four Julia Hunt kills and a Wurtz ace.
Highlands led in the third game 5-1. But Julia Hunt had three straight aces to give Holy Cross a 10-8 advantage prompting a Highlands timeout.
“Maya has such a solid understand with Julia Hunt,” said Brooke Meier, Highlands interim head coach. “Julia goes all over the court making her tough to defend. We had a game plan coming in. That’s what makes her the hitter she is.”
The Indians took a timeout after a Houston ace, Vennefron block and junior Rachel Ossege kill gave the Bluebirds a 20-15 lead. Holy Cross came back to tie the game at 22. Tied at 23, Holy Cross won it with a Hood kill and junior Olivia Gangwish ace.
Highlands has made it to the region tournament 11 years in a row. The Bluebirds last won a region quarterfinal game in 2019. Meier said she would like the chance to lead the program, but has to discuss things with Highlands Director of Athletics Wes Caldwell.
Ryle and Holy Cross play Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
10th Region at Bishop Brossart
Scott 3, Harrison County 0
The 37th District runner-up Eagles (26-12) took care of the 38th District champion Fillies (26-11) for the second straight year in the region quarterfinals by 25-22, 25-17, 25-23 scores. The Eagles advanced to the regional semifinals for the fourth straight year.
Head coach Andrea Sullivan acknowledged the challenge of beating the Fillies in the fourth meeting between the two this year. Scott beat Harrison County in the Glacier Invitational at Bracken County twice early in the season, then in Cynthiana toward the end of the regular season.
“Our big focus was being able to pass the ball off serves and get the ball to our setter’s hands so we could run our offense,” Sullivan said. “We know Harrison is really, really good team – very well-coached. It was a battle and I’m just really proud of the fight our girls had.”
Scott had nine aces, 48 kills, six blocks, 35 assists and 26 digs. Senior setter Audrey Griffin, the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Assocation 10th Region Player of the Year, had 33 assists. Freshman hitter Milyn Minor had 16 kills and six digs with senior libero Laine Morman digging up seven balls. Senior hitter Makaylah Mitchell had 13 kills and three blocks with junior hitter Brooke Balsley tallying 11 kills.
“Coming into this game, we had a little team meeting and we really talked about focusing as a team this game,” Griffin said. “I don’t think we played all together against Brossart. We just worked hard as a team and used every single person on the court.”
Scott battles 40th District champion George Rogers Clark (18-10) in the semifinals Wednesday. Game time is 5:30 p.m.
8th Region at Eminence
Simon Kenton 3, Trimble County 0
The 32nd District champion Pioneers (16-19) moved on to the region semifinals for the fifth straight season with the 25-16, 25-11, 25-8 win over the 31st District runner-up Raiders (15-12).
Junior hitter Alisha Hawkins recorded 12 kills and 11 digs to lead the Pioneers. Sophomore all-around hitter/setter Keira Hans had seven kills, 13 digs and four aces.
Simon Kenton takes on South Oldham (22-12) in the region semifinals Wednesday. Game time is 6:30 p.m.
KVCA Awards
Two area coaches received awards Tuesday. Villa Madonna head coach Sandi Kitchen earned the Region 9 Coach of the Year honor and Bishop Brossart head coach Bree Velasquez won it in the 10th Region.