Schools

Villa Beats John Burroughs in Volleyball in Two Quick Sets

Young Bombers tested the Saints in spurts during the match.

Villa’s volleyball coach Shane Weber is showing his team the beef. He purposely gave the Saints a rugged schedule this year to prep for a difficult playoff season.

One year ago, the Saints celebrated their first state Class 3 volleyball title at the Show Me Center on the campus of Southeast Missouri State over Thanksgiving. There’s no resting on their laurels for this team.

See more pictures on the Ladue-Frontenac Facebook Page.

The Saints made fairly quick work of host John Burroughs Thursday night, sending the Bombers out the door to do home work, 25-14 and 25-13.

For the record, Casie Tomlinson’s youngish Bombers put up a spirited opposition. More on that later.

But that front line, comprised of Meghan Donovan, Marisa Drevenak, Maggie Schroeder, Riley Lawrence and Kim Thro are just too much to handle. Weber can intersperse his tall, lean talented front line with the greatest of ease.

The Saints have dropped titanic battles with the likes of Edwardsville, Lindbergh, Ursuline Academy and Marquette playing a class AAA schedule.

Looking forward, the Saints will battle Visitation Academy, Lafayette and Incarnate Word Academy before getting to the playoffs. They are 13-5 this season.

Sydney Sabino, back-liner for the Saints says things are going pretty well.

“I think we were very efficient against Burroughs. We moved some younger girls into the lineup to see how they could handle it. Overall I think we played a great game.”

Sometimes Sabino gets caught up watching that front line perform.

“Being a back row player, its amazing thing for me to watch. I don’t get to experience the front row very much. I am still in awe of them. Absolutely, we are all doing our job, we’ve had some team issues in the past and this game is a test of the season and I think we all played together well tonight.”

“Win or lose, we know we have the talent level this year and we want to see how we match up against all those great teams,” said Sabino.

Weber, who’s been through a lot was OK with the victory.

“This was a good night and everyone did well and I like getting some of those young kids into the lineup. Burroughs did a challenge. Their coaches are doing a great job. I’ve been at Villa five years and the last three years I’ve seen a great improvement with their volleyball team.

About 90 percent of my team plays club ball and that is really helpful. This is a quick season. Once the preseason is over (2 and 1/2 weeks), the rest seems like a blur and before you know, it’s October and you are into districts.”

Tomlinson was anything but hanging her head after facing Villa.

“We have grown these past couple of weeks of playing. Each game we continue to get better and better. As they say, it’s not how you start the season but how you end it."

Getting girls out volleyball is challenge unto itself with the academic load the students carry.

“They are a very determined bunch and they like to succeed at everything they do and I’m glad they can do well in academics and athletics too,” said Tomlinson.

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