Sweet Springs volleyball: Lady 'Hounds get one district win

GREEN RIDGE -- The Sweet Springs volleyball team saw its season end Monday in the Class 1, District 12 Tournament at Green Ridge, but not before getting one more win.

The fourth-seeded Lady Greyhounds posted a 20-25, 25-10, 25-19 first-round victory over No. 5 Smithton, but then couldn't get past two-time defending state champion Sacred Heart in the semifinal, dropping a 25-20, 25-21 decision.

Sweet Springs' defense proved too tough for the Lady Tigers (2-19) in the long run, coming up with 60 digs -- roughly five per game higher than the club's season average. Senior Kim Rennison made 13 of those saves, with junior Shelby Hayworth and freshman Mikalah Vogelsmeier each adding 10.

The Lady 'Hounds also pounded the ball, with senior Kristin Jones recording six kills and senior Rachel Thornton five. Junior Haley Hunter contributed four aces and senior Kathleen Tyler assisted 14 of the team's 23 kills, while putting down four shots and pulling up nine.

The Lady Gremlins turned the tables in the later match, although the Sweet Springs out up a fight -- rallying from a nine-point deficit in the second set to briefly assume the lead.

However, sophomore Kelli Lamb knocked down 10 shots and sophomores Sierra Fredrick and Johannah Hohne each made 10 saves to pace No. 1 seed Sacred Heart (16-11-3), which will play Green Ridge today for the title.

Thornton led the Lady 'Hounds (9-14-1) with three kills and Jones served up three aces, but the points were hard to come by -- even though head coach Kristen Niemeyer declared she "was proud of my girls."