Runner-up Great Bend lost a heartbreaker to champion Hays High 29-27, 25-22, but coach Shelly Duvall liked the way the Indians battled to the finish. Hays High (5-0) placed first, followed by Great Bend (3-2) in a tiebreaker. Phillipsburg, Hutchinson, Salina Central and St. John also competed.
Great Bend is 9-11.
"The last match against Hays was a battle,” Duvall said. “They definitely outmatch us in size, but our girls pushed until the very end. It's great to see them understand the game and put their knowledge to the test. We work a lot on mental toughness. Our coaching staff can see that they aren't letting outside factors get in their heads during the game. That says a lot about who these girls are.”
The Panthers defeated Hutchinson, 25-21, 25-20; St. John, 25-12, 25-17; and Salina Central 25-15, 23-25, 25-14. The Panthers lost to Phillipsburg, 26-24, 20-25, 25-17 in another hard-fought three set match.
"If there is one thing that these girls do, it's play with every ounce of grit that they have inside,” Duvall said. “It doesn't matter if the other team towers over us, they will put up a fight until the last point. I truly believe that the competition that we played last weekend in Tonganoxie prepared us for today."
GREAT BEND INVITATIONAL
1—Hays High 5-0; 2—Great Bend 3-2 (wins tiebreaker 7-5 sets); 3—Hutchinson 3-2 (6-5 sets); 4—Phillipsburg 3-2 (7-6 sets); 5—St. John 1-4; 6—Salina Central 0-5
GREAT BEND RESULTS
Phillipsburg def. Great Bend, 26-24, 20-25, 25-17; GB STATS—Jenna Mauler 11 kills, 15 digs, 11 serves received; Rachel Panzer 8 kills; Sydney Unruh, 24 digs, 24 serves received; Alyssa Herter 9 digs, 17 assists; Zoe Jerke 14 assists
Hays High def. Great Bend, 29-27, 25-22; GB STATS--Herter 8 kills, 10 assists; Panzer 7 kills; Sydney Unruh 9 digs, 13 serves received; Jenna Mauler 6 digs, 5 serves received; Jerke 11 assists; Jayden Johnson 15 serves received
Great Bend def. Hutchinson, 25-21, 25-20; GB STATS—Mauler, 8 kills, 11 digs, 10 serves received; Panzer, 4 kills; Sydney Unruh, 14 digs, 9 serves received; Herter, 8 assists; Jerke, 6 assists
Great Bend def. Salina Central, 25-15, 23-25, 25-14; GB STATS—Mauler 12 kills, 15 serves received; Panzer 5 kills; Boxberger 5 kills; Sydney Unruh 14 digs, 22 serves received; Herter 5 kills, 10 digs, 16 assists; Jerke 13 assists; Kaylee Unruh
Great Bend def. St. John, 25-12, 25-17; GB STATS—Mauler 8 kills, 9 digs, 7 serves received; Panzer 8 kills; Brynn Boxberger 6 kills; Sydney Unruh 6 digs, 13 serves received; Herter 16 assists; Jerke 7 assists; Kaylee Unruh 7 serves received
RESULTS—Hays High def. Phillipsburg, 25-21, 25-20; Hays High def. Salina Central, 25-10, 25-17; Hays High def. St. John, 25-27, 25-16; Hays High def. Hutchinson, 25-23, 25-19
Hutchinson def. Phillipsburg, 25-15, 24-26, 25-18; Phillipsburg def. Salina Central, 25-8, 22-25, 25-17; Phillipsburg def. St. John, 25-19, 25-14; St. John def. Salina Central, 25-17, 25-16
