By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Webb City had to dig deep to make history on Saturday afternoon.
The Cardinals shook off a 2-1 deficit entering the fourth set and earned a 25-21 win, then jumped out big en route to a 15-10 win in the fifth to defeat visiting Helias Catholic 3-2 in a Class 4 quarterfinal at the Cardinal Dome, earning the program’s first-ever trip to the Final Four in the process.
“It’s incredible,” said senior Brenda Lawrence. “I think from the very beginning we all just wanted it so bad. The unity was there, the team was ready. We had a team breakfast and got in the right mindset, set the tone for the day. From there on out just go, go go.”
“We made history today,” she said. “For the first time Webb City volleyball is going to state.”
Webb City, 32-4-2, had suffered losses in the sectional round last season and in 2019. Now they’ll travel to Cape Girardeau to face Incarnate Word Academy at 2 p.m. Nov. 3 in the semifinals.
Head coach Rhonda Lawrence said it wasn’t just the program’s first trip to state.
“First time in my history, too, so I’m just super excited,” she said. “I can’t be more grateful for all the kids’ buy in, the parents’ buy in. We’ve been supported by the whole community. All season long they’ve had our back. Through the years being here, the community is awesome to support us and I know they continue to push us all the time.”
Lawrence said it was one of the toughest matches for the Cardinals all season – and they also played their best volleyball of the year to help close it out.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE MATCH
Webb City rolled to a 25-11 win in the first set but lost the momentum in the second. Helias (29-7-3) quickly built a 10-point lead at 16-6 and led by as many as 12 before Webb City went on a 10-0 run to take a 24-23 lead following a Lawrence kill.
It was a wasted effort, though, with Helias winning 26-24 and then jumping out to another early lead in the third set. The visitors led 12-4 and later 21-13 before closing it out 25-17.
Helias coach David Harris said that third set was one of the best his team had played all season.
“I thought we had the momentum after winning the second and third sets but Webb City came out and they just weren’t going to be denied in their home gym,” he said. “They served very tough. Their serve receive was really good. Their hitters didn’t make very many unforced errors. All those little things add up to why they won.”
The Cardinals led 11-7 in the fourth after a block by senior Kathryn Brownfield, and a Brownfield kill made it 12-9 later on. Kills by freshman Jaeli Rutledge and Brownfield, and a tip by senior Kyah Sanborn made it 15-11.
A Rutledge kill gave the Cardinals an 18-13 lead, and it was 21-13 after a block by junior Aubree Lassiter. After Helias cut it to 24-21, Brownfield finished it off with another kill to force a deciding fifth set.
The fifth was all Webb City. The Cardinals led 10-3 following an ace by Sanborn. Helias cut it to 5 on two occasions and then got within 14-10, but a missed serve by the visitors ended it 15-10.
“Webb City came out on fire and they kind of served us off the court and that was the difference,” Harris said. “That’s the best serving team we’ve faced all year.”
Rhonda Lawrence said the Cardinals just needed to get back to a balanced attack after showing perhaps too much respect to Helias in the second and third sets.
“We need to play with a lot of aggression and get out and show them we have a lot of really powerful hitters, too,” she said. “You may have one but we’ve got plenty to choose from to pound it. That balanced attack again comes in clutch.”
