The Volleyball team celebrated their seniors at their last home home game, Noelle Beirwagen, Madison Terry, Alicia Bjornestad, with their coach, Brittney McKenney. Not pictured is Senior, Jozalyn Baumann.
The Pioneer volleyball lineup that took the court a week prior to Saturday's regular season finale at home didn't look much like the one from a week prior.
It probably won't look much like the one they put out to open the District 7C tournament Thursday at their home gym either.
Big Sandy pieced together a squad without three crucial players, leading hitter Amiya Griffith, versatile Tavie Wortman and Wortman's anticipated substitute, Malaysia Baumann, all out due to injuries or quarantining.
The Chester-Joplin-Inverness Hawks outmatched the Pioneers, 25-11, 25-16, 26-24, as Big Sandy placed younger, less experienced players into key roles. The youth movement showed some promise, though, jelling and communicating better as the match wore on, threatening to extend it until late in the third set.
"We definitely did the best we could with what we had," Pioneers coach Brittany McKenney said. "I am proud of the girls for stepping up. We had players who hadn't even been suiting up for varsity and they were playing a lot of the game tonight. (Freshmen) Tosha (Allderdice) and Kodi Jo (Phillips) had to step up and play and they did."
Allderdice made some plays at the net while Phillips proved one of the most reliable servers on the night.
McKenney said all three players absent Saturday's game are expected back in time for districts, although Wortman will not have 100 percent of her mobility back after spraining her ankle in the penultimate regular season match against Centerville.
Senior Alicia Bjornestad and sophomore Caydence Pleninger each put down 4 kills for the Pioneers in the gutsy Saturday effort. Bjornestad added a team-high 6 digs. Sophomore Jaycee Worrall led Big Sandy with 7 assists. Sophomore Angie Sant provided the team's lone block.
The Hawks were led by the powerful hitting of junior Tatum Hull, who recorded a match-high 12 kills and 4 blocks. C-J-I senior Molly Nelson topped the match with 13 digs. Seniors Abby Fraser and Courtney Alley each served up 5 aces for C-J-I. Fraser led her team with 15 assists.
Team stats
Kills: C-J-I 25, Big Sandy 11; Aces: C-J-I 14, Big Sandy 3; Digs: Big Sandy 20, C-J-I 13; Blocks: C-J-I 7, Big Sandy 1; Assists: C-J-I 23, Big Sandy 11.
