BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
SALINA — Great Bend volleyball coach Shelly Duvall knew the high level of 5A state competition required to reach the state semifinals.
Sadly, the No. 8 ranked Panthers came up short after playing perhaps the greatest match in school history.
Class 5A was loaded featuring 9-time state champions Lenexa St. James and No. 1 ranked St. Thomas Aquinas, 8-time state champion Wichita Carroll and 1-time champion Lansing.
High-profile recruits included Maize South's Bella Cook (Iowa State), Autumn Popp (Wichita State) and Sage Illian (nationally ranked beach volleyball); Lansing's Avery Sands (Missouri State); Wichita Carroll's Brae Martin (Wichita State), Great Bend's Kya Behr (Washburn University) and Blue Valley Southwest's Taylor Stanley (University of Kansas).
The Panthers surprised Maize South's talented trio 13-25, 26-24, 25-20 to keep alive a chance of qualifying for Saturday's semifinals.
Beating No. 3 state-ranked Maize South required the best quality set the Panthers have ever played under coach Duvall after getting overpowered 25-13. The Panthers showed off their best blocking of the season in addition to aggressive serving and fearless defense.
Kya Behr delivered back-to-back plays, a diving save and a spike to seal a tight second-set 26-24 victory. Behr and teammate Mikala Minton had never played better volleyball. Minton led the way with six winners in the second set.
Alex Mayers produced four winners and Behr three including a trio of highlight-reel digs. Stevie Mayers (3), Ava Kaiser (1) and Micah Ellegood (1) pitched in. Ellegood and Minton dished out back-to-back blocks for a 24-22 lead.
The momentum carried over to set 3 where Behr baffled the Mavericks with four tipped winners that keyed six winners. Stevie Mayers and Alex Mayers each contributed a trio of winners. Kimmy Hofflinger and Ellegood each had a pair of winners.
Alex Mayers' spike handed the Panthers six match points, which prompted a leap of faith by Duvall after the victory was secured.
However, the Panthers missed qualifying for the semifinals for the second time in school history after losing a wild third match to Wichita Kapaun Mt. Carmel 27-29, 25-21, 25-21.
After a 3-way tie, Kapaun (1-2) was eliminated with a 2-4 set performance. Maize South (1-2) won 3 of 7 sets and Great Bend (1-2) won 3 of 8 sets, handing the tiebreaker to Maize South despite the Panthers owning a head-to-head victory.
Great Bend led the second set 14-11 before Kapaun's soft serving Collyns Livermore baffled the Panthers' defense with five consecutive serving points for a 16-14 lead. Livermore's lofted serve floated over the net and swung the momentum by slowing the Panthers' offense.
Great Bend never regained the momentum.
No. 2 ranked Blue Valley Southwest handed the Panthers a 25-11, 25-10 opening setback.
Great Bend qualified for state volleyball for the fourth time under coach Duvall and for the 11th time in school history.
THURSDAY, SALINA
5A POOL A—Wichita Carroll 37-2, St. Thomas Aquinas 30-5, Lansing 29-10, Lenexa St. James 27-11; Aquinas def. Lansing, 25-20, 25-6; St. James def. Carroll, 25-20, 25-14; Aquinas def. St. James, 25-14, 25- 15; Lansing def. Carroll, 20-25, 25-20, 25-20; Lansing def. St. James, 25-14, 25-27, 25-15; Aquinas def. Carroll, 25-11, 25-21
5A POOL B—Maize South 36-4, Blue Valley Southwest 32-4, Great Bend 27-10, Wichita Kapaun Mt. Carmel 27-12; BVSW def. Great Bend, 25-11, 25-10; Maize South def. Kapaun, 25-22, 25-15; BVSW def. Kapaun, 25-15, 25-10; Great Bend def. Maize South, 13-25, 26-24, 25-20; KMC def. Great Bend, 27-29, 25-18, 25-21; BVSW def. Maize South, 25-20, 25-16
GREAT BEND STATE VOLLEYBALL—Shelly Duvall (2020, 2021, 2024, 2025); Kelsey Perry (2013); Kristen Baker (2007); Jackie Engle (2001, 2002); Mike Minton (1998, 2000); Deb Becker (1996).
1ST—Blue Valley Southwest 33-4 vs. Aquinas 31-5; 3RD—Lansing 30-11 vs. Maize South 36-5; SEMIFINALS—Blue Valley Southwest def. Lansing, 25-21, 25-13; Aquinas def. Maize South, 25-17, 25-23
