Valiant St. Joe Volleyball Falls In Sectional Showdown With No. 1 Lafayette

Angels were 30-5 this season, with only local losses coming in two matchups against Lafayette.

WILDWOOD -- For just a moment, the St. Joseph's Academy girls volleyball team thought it had done something no other team this season had done to No. 1-ranked Lafayette. The Angels were ahead 25-24 in set 2 of their MSHSAA Class 4 sectional matchup against the defending state champion Lancers, and for just a second, thought they had won the next point to claim a 26-24 set victory. Lafayette's Melanie Crow had fired a rocket kill attempt that sailed wide of the court, and appeared to give St. Joe the final point it needed to had the Lancers their first set defeat of the season. Crow and the her Lafayette teammates insisted that one of the St. Joe defenders had touched the ball and that the point should be theirs, which would tie the score …

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St. Joseph's Claims District Volleyball Championship

Angels won with relative ease over Kirkwood and Ursuline on Wednesday, to improve to 29-4 overall this season. Now they prepare for sectional showdown with No. 1 Lafayette Saturday.

All season long, the two best teams in Missouri girls high school volleyball have been on a collision course to meet one another in what would be a huge sectional round matchup. The only thing holding up a possible No. 1 versus No. 2 showdown would be if either or both of the teams lost in their respective district tournaments. On Tuesday, top-ranked and unbeaten Lafayette did its part by breezing through two opponents to claim the Class 4 District 3 title. That left it up to No. 2 St. Joseph's Academy, to make sure local volleyball fans would get the matchup they've been waiting for. And to the surprise of no one, the Angels made sure Saturday's sectional showdown with Lafayette would happen, by winning their own district championship …

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The Baer Facts

37th Annual Missouri Volleyball Championships A Success

The event provides fun way to take in tons of volleyball competition, all in the same spot.

We all appreciate special events when things run smoothly. First, I want to say thank you to the Missouri State High School Association (MSHSAA) for running a first-class volleyball championship at the Show-Me Center in Cape Girardeau, MO Friday and Saturday. Like a good clock, all the intricate parts moved exceedingly well. As I looked around this fine athletic facility, I realized the families, friends, guests and casual observers were enjoying the moment. Great volleyball efforts unfolded all weekend long. Ironically, in my nearly 40 years of covering prep sports, I’d never been to the volleyball finals before. The tournament first got started at Missouri State University in Springfield in 1974, my fourth year in the business. At this …

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James Baer

10:58 pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011

I flat out goofed. The local stars play USA Volleyball, not AAU. I regret making that error.   more ›

Field is Set for Midwest Field Hockey Tournament Semifinals

MICDS, Cor Jesu, Lafayette and Nerinx all Reach Thursday's Final 4.

The field is set for the semifinals of the 2011 Midwest Field Hockey tournament. Both Thursday games begin at 3:30 p.m. At John Burroughs, Cor Jesu (18-2) faces Nerinx Hall (19-7). At MICDS, the host Rams (11-13) takes on Lafayette (19-1). Here’s the results of the quarterfinals played at the AB Soccer Park in Fenton Tuesday afternoon. MICDS stunned Villa Duchesne 2-1 in overtime. Burroughs lost in strokes 3-2 to Nerinx Hall. Cor Jesu beat Ursuline Academy 3-0 while Lafayette crushed Ladue 6-0. MICDS over Villa Duchesne 2-1 in overtime It wasn’t exactly David over Goliath, more it was like Danielle over Goldie. The girls of fall have fulfillled their fondest wishes inching towards the title game two years running. Last year, the Rams …

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Field Hockey Quarterfinals at AB Soccer Park Tuesday

Villa Duchesne, Lafayette, Cor Jesu, Ladue, Burroughs and MICDS and others all in the mix.

There are eight teams left in the Midwest Field Hockey championships. None of the top eight seeds has been upset. Who wins this thing Saturday at John Burroughs is anyone’s guess. Speculation could follow the seeding of the tournament. No. 1 seed is Cor Jesu and No. 2 seed is Villa Duchesne. “I tell my girls that’s just a number on a piece of paper. They have to go out there and earn it,” said Villa’s first-year coach Vivi Keefer. The Saints at 20-3-1 are truly in the mix. So too is Lafayette, No. 3 seed and John Burroughs, No. 4 seed. Ladue, Nerinx Hall and MICDS may have other ideas. One year ago, before a huge crowd, the Bombers beat rivals MICDS 3-1 and finished the year as champs with a 23-1 record. Here’s the lineup of games on …

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