By DELBERT PETERS

Staff writer

In the 12-team Heart of America League, Goessel has now played everyone once for league standings. The Bluebirds finished 7-4, with one win and one loss coming Tuesday night. 

This year the league does not have one dominant team, but the cluster at the top seemed to play well on those days that they played Goessel.

Goessel defeated Little River, 25-11, in game one by scoring nine straight points at the end of the game. In set two, the game was tied, 7-7, but Goessel scored six straight points to lead 15-8, and then maintained a comfortable lead until the end of the match, winning 25-14. 

Against HOA league power Sedgwick, the Bluebirds kept the game close after falling behind, 1-4. Karis Janzen and Kendra Flaming recorded kills in the middle of the game to help the Bluebirds get within one point, 14-15. Sedgwick stretched their lead to 21-16, but the Bluebirds scratched their way back once again, 22-21. Each team traded points with the Cardinals winning game one, 25-23. 

In the second set, Goessel jumped out to a 10-6 lead. The Bluebirds played well increasing their lead to 17-8, but the Cardinals scored six straight points until a serving error gave Goessel another point. The Bluebirds then scored six straight to take a commanding 23-14 lead and evened the match with a win, 25-18.

In the third and final set, Goessel fell behind and played catch-up for most of the game. Tied at 6-6, Sedgwick outscored the Bluebirds, 7-1. However, Goessel pecked their way back into the game behind the serving of Flaming and Karina Harvey and the hitting of Janzen and Aspen Frey. Goessel got as close as 16-17 before Sedgwick began pounding winners, and the Cardinals won the match 25-17.

   The Bluebirds will play two matches with Remington and Peabody on Tuesday. The Heart of America League Tournament will be at Inman on Saturday, where the Bluebirds will be seeded fifth among the top eight teams in the league.