Volleyball seasons come to end for area teams

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Fort Scott High School’s volleyball team faced Iola for the third time in nine days in the first round of the Osawatomie Class 4A Sub-State Tournament here Saturday. But the outcome was much like it was in the first two meetings, with the Fillies beating the Tigers once again.

This time, Iola took a 25-16, 25-223 decision that ended the Tigers’ season under first-year head coach Carol Bingesser with a record of 10-23. This is four more wins than Fort Scott had in the last two seasons combined and the most since the Tigers won 12 matches in 2004.

Iola went on to lose in the tournament semifinals to Ottawa, 25-5, 25-15, to finish its season at 22-14. But the Southeast Kansas League will be represented in the Class 4A State Tournament at Salina this weekend by Labette County, 35-5, which swept league champion Chanute, 25-22, 25-23, in the finals of the Girard Sub-State.

At Humboldt Saturday, Uniontown went 1-1 at a Class 2A Sub-State Tournament to finish its season.

The Eagles swept Marmaton Valley in the first round, 25-9, 25-12, as Abbie Smith had six kills and was successful on 18 of 21 attack chances.

Uniontown lost to host Humboldt, 23-25, 25-17, 25-23, in the semifinals. Smith had nine kills as she was 29 of 34 in attack. Kyli Harvey was 13 of 15 in attack and had four kills.

“We played our best volleyball of the season and it was disappointing to come up short,” Uniontown head coach Jackie Hall said. “We had our opportunities in the Humboldt match but for whatever reason, we couldn’t push ahead and get the points when we needed them.”

Uniontown, which finished 21-16, was denied a return trip to the Class 2A State Tournament. That bid went to Pittsburg Colgan, which swept Humboldt in the finals, 25-5, 25-20.