Sports writer
The Goessel High School volleyball team played two matches Saturday at Madison and swept the sub-state tournament in the process.
In the first match the Bluebirds defeated Waverly, 25-16, 25-10.
Game one was close with the Bluebirds leading 17-14, but they scored five points in a row to end the game.
In the second game, with the score tied at five, Goessel outscored the Bulldogs 20-5 to advance to the round of 16.
The sub-state finals pitted Pretty Prairie, the upper seed, against the Bluebirds.
Goessel trailed 14-10 in game one, but tied the score at 18-18 and went on to win 25-21.
In the second game, the Bluebirds grabbed a 5-2 lead, but the Bulldogs got back into the game leading 22-21.
It was a battle the rest of the way with the score tied at 23, 24, and 25 before Goessel managed to score the last two points to win 27-25.
“It’s always an amazing feeling to get to state,” head Coach Crysta Guhr said. “I am thrilled for this team. [The players have] worked so hard.”
Karis Janzen led the team with an incredible 14 blocks and 15 kills. Rinda Duerksen also had 15 kills.
Goessel was serving well with Aspen Frey getting three aces along with 100 percent serving, and Karina Harvey and Amy Brubaker also put all their serves in play.
Jessica Goertzen recorded 49 assists in the four games.
Regionals
The Bluebirds won two matches Oct. 21 to earn the regional volleyball championship plaque.
Goessel defeated Burrton 25-9, 25-13 and then defeated top-seed Central Christian 25-21, 25-21.
An excited Guhr said that the Bluebirds had accumulated more than 100 digs in the two matches.
“Our blocking had a lot to do with that. We recorded 19 downed blocks and slowed down almost every hit,” she said.
Goertzen had 38 assists and 26 digs on the night.
Harvey led the defense with 27 digs.
Hitting for the Bluebirds was a balanced attack with Duerksen 13 kills, Janzen and Flaming 12 kills each, and Frey nine kills.
The Bluebirds are scheduled to play at 4:30, 5:30 and 8:30 pm Friday in pool play at Gross Memorial Coleseum in Hays.
The top two teams from each pool will play a semi-final match at 2:00 p.m. Saturday with consolation and championship matches to follow.
Goessel goes into the state tournament with a record of 30-9.