Lafayette Wins State Volleyball Tournament

The Texas Rangers were within one strike of winning the World Series on two occasions in game six against the Cardinals. volleyball Lancers know the feeling, as they were one point away from capturing their first-ever state volleyball championship in game two of the Class 4 championship game against Lee's Summit West Saturday at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Lee's Summit came back to save two match points to win game two. But unlike the Rangers, who would lose game six and then game seven, the Lancers regrouped and defeated the Titans 25-23, 24-26, 25-16.

"(World Series Most Valuable Player) David Freese is from our school and I guess we were like him in that we never gave up," said Lafayette sophomore Lily Johnson. "Our motto all weekend was high energy. We never gave up."

The first game Saturday was close throughout, with no team leading by more than three points. Johnson had one of her match-high 24 kills with her team up 24-23 on game point.

The Lancers, who had beaten the Titans twice during the round-robin portion of the tournament Friday, seemed headed for another two-game win with an 18-12 lead in the seaon game.

Lee's Summit West, who had won the state tournament in 2007 and was second last year, battled back to get within a point at 23-22. Johnson followed with a kill and the Lancers led 24-22 and had two chances to close the match out.

But Titan standout Megan McGehee served four straight points, including an ace with the score 24-24. Lee's Summit West seemed to have the momentum headed to the pivotal third game.

"I was very confident going into the third game," Lafayette coach Steve Burkhard said. "They've done this time and time again during the season."

Lafayette's Stephanie Campbell had a kill on the first point and Lafayette raced to an early 10-3 lead. This time there was no Titan comeback. It was appropriate that a senior, Marilyn Dick, had a kill on match point on an assist from another senior, Abby Finder.

"This was always our goal," Dick said."I knew we had a lot of talented girls on this team and it was truly a team effort. Everybody contributed. I couldn't ask for a better way to go out."

It's been an incredible couple of weeks at Lafayette, starting with the play of Freese and followed by two state championships in one day (the Lancer field hockey team also won a state title Saturday).

"It's great no matter if it's the first, second or third," Burkhard said. "The girls did everything we asked this year. They believed in themselves and they are just a wonderful group of girls. I am sure it will bring tears to my eyes when I get to school and see the trophy in the case and banner on the wall."

Indeed, it was another memorable day for Lafayette volleyball players, coaches, fans and all Lancer students and supporters.

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