By Chris Parker
The Kickapoo volleyball team is heading back to the final four for the first time since 1995 after a thrilling five-set (19-25, 25-19, 27-25, 25-27, 15-11) victory over Columbia Rock Bridge on Saturday.
“I can’t believe it. It just doesn’t feel real. The adrenalin we had running and the momentum; it was just so much fun to be out there on the court with my team,” said Kickapoo junior Bella Faria.
Kickapoo knew what was coming from Rock Bridge heading into the Class 5 state quarterfinal match. The Bruins beat the Lady Chiefs 2-0 (25-20, 25-18) in the Bentonville Tournament to start the year.
Saturday’s match started similarly to that early season meeting with Rock Bridge winning 25-19.
Kickapoo went to the huddle looking to regroup.
“You make a game plan and you try to execute that. If that is not working you believe in yourself and go at it on the next ball. We talk so much about a next ball mentality. We get a lot of production from a lot of our players, so you may be the next one. Every single kid has to want the ball to come to them,” said Kickapoo head coach Marci Adams.
“At the end of the day it is just play volleyball. As much as we want to strategize it is play volleyball,” Faria said.
Kickapoo went to work in the second set jumping out to an early lead then holding off a late Rock Bridge charge to win the set 25-19 and even the match at 1-1.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE MATCH
Set three saw a similar theme with Kickapoo leading early before battling to a 27-25 set win moving Kickapoo to one set away from a trip to the final four.
Rock Bridge would not go away quietly.
The Bruins, who finished fourth at state last year, stayed in front of or tied with Kickapoo for the entire fourth set on the way to a 27-25 set win.
Rock Bridge’s defense was a hallmark in that fourth set and all night with great digs all over the court.
“Credit to Rock Bridge. There were several balls that we thought were down. The whole gym thought they were down, and somebody over here was getting that ball up. That can deflate you or you can try to stay steady in that moment. I think we did that. Our girls wanted that next ball,” Adams said. “We talked about it. Rock Bridge was not going to give it to us. You have to earn each of these points.”
That 27-25 set loss for Kickapoo forced a deciding fifth set where the Lady Chiefs had to bounce back. Kickapoo tied the match at 25 getting two points away from a final four trip, but instead was facing another grueling battle with the Bruins.
“We talked about not riding the highs too high or the lows too low and just getting back to baseline every time. I can’t imagine what they were feeling out there (on the court) but I was trying to do that on the bench too,” Adams said.
Kickapoo trailed early in the final set down 6-3. The Lady Chiefs, riding the energy of a raucous crowd, tied the match at 7-7. Rock Bridge took a lead at 8-7 before Kickapoo threw the knockout blow with 6-0 run to take a commanding 13-9 lead.
The Lady Chiefs put the match away with a 15-11 final to set off a celebration 27 years in the making.
CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO OF THE MATCH
“Our team chemistry is unmatched. I would never want to go down with any other team except this team. I love these girls so much,” Faria said.
Faria was key in that final set putting down four kills on six attempts including the match-sealing kill.
“As soon as Reagan (Greenway) set me I was thinking just hit the ball. That is all I wanted,” Faria said. “I want my team to look up to me and know that I can be a leader for them each step of the way.”
Faria led the team with 15 total kills in the match to go with three assists, two aces and 10 digs.
Jenna Perryman was second on the team with 14 kills followed closely by Parker Papa with 12 kills. Grace Gardner contributed nine kills, three aces and 11 digs. Claire Doennig had eight kills. Hannah Gardner had 25 assists with six digs and five kills. Greenway led the way in assists with 29. Kya Johnson and Emma Eaton were defensive stars with 21 and 19 digs, respectively.
Don’t expect the formula to change for Kickapoo heading into next weekend’s final four.
“Whatever has got us here can keep riding on through. We have a lot of team belief and we have a lot of kids that just want the ball. They want to be the one to talk to their team. They want to be the one to bring up that player that didn’t have a great ball. Just keep on going with what we have been doing,” Adams said. “Everybody has a role. Everybody has to contribute and bring something to the table. That is how we are strong. We are strong by all of our pieces.”
“This team is something else. Our team chemistry couldn’t be better. Every practice we go in wanting the ball more and more and more and wanting each set and each point,” Faria said.
Kickapoo (30-8) will face St. Dominic (24-10-3) at 10 am on Thursday, Nov. 3 in Cape Girardeau in the Class 5 state semifinals. The winner will play for the Class 5 state championship at 10 am on Friday, Nov. 4.
