By DELBERT PETERS

Staff writer

Goessel High School volleyball team competed at the 1A state tournament Friday against three other Division 1A schools but lost in qualifying rounds.

Qualifying for the end-of-the-season tournament is the highest achievement Kansas high school teams can earn. The Bluebirds entered the tournament as the sixth seed and began competition against Hoxie.

It appeared to be a case of the nerves, the Bluebirds began with several missed hits and quickly found themselves behind, 0-9. A Goessel timeout could not change the tide, and the Bluebirds lost their first game, 7-25.

It was an inspired team that emerged in game two; Alex Hiebert got a block and a kill, Nicole Bartel went to her knees to make passes, Samantha Jarvis made a block, and Tia Goertzen hit a shot down the line, giving the Bluebirds their first lead in the tournament at 8-7. Jennifer Van Horn used her turn in the front row to hit two winners, and Goertzen followed with another kill. Suddenly Hoxie was the team on their heels, worrying about mistakes. The Bluebirds led 17-12 when the Indians took a timeout. Hoxie got as close as two points, but a Paige Booton ace and a kill helped the Bluebirds to a 25-21 lead, with Van Horn hitting a winner to give Goessel their first win in several trips to the big tournament.

In the third game, Aimee Flaming began the game serving and the Bluebirds rattled off the first five points. With Goessel leading 9-4, the Bluebirds struggled with receiving serves. Hoxie earned a 10-9 lead and the game stayed close, with each team winning points. With the Bluebirds trailing 14-17, coach Crysta Guhr called timeout, to give the team advice from the sideline. Makaila Schmidt earned a kill, Booton connected on a hard spike and a soft spike, to help the Bluebirds gain a 19-18 lead. Two aces by Indian servers helped Hoxie to a 22-25 win.

The Bluebirds returned to the court for their second match and the same error affliction that plagued the Bluebirds in game one against Hoxie befell Goessel again. Goessel fell behind 3-11 and then 6-20, before gaining composure and outscoring Jetmore, 9-5. However, Goessel lost game one, 15-25.

Again, the Bluebirds were able to compete in the second game, keeping even with the competition and leading 19-17. Jessica Harvey and Aimee Flaming sent sets to a variety of hitters, as the Bluebirds recovered from lapses in passing. The Longhorns scored five consecutive points to take a 22-19 lead, but the Bluebirds took back the lead at 23-22, based on hitting from Hiebert and Van Horn. Jetmore was able to score the last three points to hand Goessel a loss, 23-25.

In the games against eventual state champion St. John, the Bluebirds could not get back their confidence. Goessel fell behind 0-10 and lost game one, 7-25. In the second game, the Bluebirds fell behind to the impressive hitting of Teresa Wade of the Tigers. Goessel trailed 4-14, and lost, 12-25.

Goessel finished the memorable season with a record of 26-14.