Through the ebbs and flows of the season and setbacks which could’ve demoralized the team, the St. Louis U. High volleyball team has stayed strong, consistent, and are now eyeing down one last series of games to reach their ultimate goal: the title. Going into the playoffs, the Jr. Bills ended the season ranked fourth in Missouri and top 100 in the nation, and are looking for revenge after last year's devastating loss in the state finals. SLUH had one of their most important weeks of the year, starting their road to state in the district tournament, and are off to a hot start.

Parkway Central 

In the Jr. Bills’ final non-conference game of the year, they took on the Parkway Central Colts, looking to take final form heading into playoffs. In a game against a good Parkway Central team, SLUH focused on starting quick and making a statement early on. Contrary to their game plan, the game started with a close first set filled with lead changes, and although close games have been SLUH’s weak spot throughout the year, the Jr. Bills were able to pull away and seal the first set with a kill from junior Justin Jachna.

 “We tend to come out and underestimate teams,” said senior Ollie Manalang. “In the first and second sets, we were sloppy with our fundamentals.”

The first set ended 25-19, and they looked to do what they do best: use momentum and run away with the game. However, Parkway Central was able to keep the second set even closer, keeping the set within two points until the Jr. Bills left the Colts in the dust, going on a seven point run to close out the second set 25-15. In the final set, SLUH finally used their momentum to put the Colts away once and for all, walking away from the third set with a 25-15 victory, completing yet another sweep, and eyeing down the final games of the season.

De Smet

Riding high on the back of a six game win streak, the Jr. Bills headed down to Ballas Road to take on MCC rival De Smet. In their second and final meeting of the season, the Jr. Bills sought to beat the reigning state champions as they did earlier in the season. However, things did not go according to plan, as De Smet kept the first set tight, and eventually snuck away with a 25-19 win.

“We weren’t focused, and kept struggling with things that we’ve struggled with all season,” said freshman middle hitter Ben Kelsey. “It woke us up that we can’t fall asleep even if a team is worse than us.” 

The Jr. Bills fell in the second set as well, despite big plays from juniors David Justice and Jack Spowal, the Spartans snagged the early lead and maintained it, beating the Jr. Bills 25-20.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game, even though we beat them earlier this year,” said sophomore libero Eddie Tumbarello. “Our serving and blocking were rough, we didn’t really have a response once it got through our blocks.”

 The third set was when SLUH truly shined, showing the Spartans their potential. Despite being down 0-2 and in danger of being swept, SLUH grabbed the lead and ran with it. On the backs of sophomores Tumbarello and Tanner Zippay, the Jr. Bills crushed the Spartans 25-14. Looking to continue the momentum into the fourth set, SLUH put out their best effort, but De Smet took control and finished the Jr Bills off, winning the fourth set 17-25 and handing the Jr. Bills their first and only MCC loss of the season.

Chaminade

To close out both their MCC schedule and regular season, the Jr. Bills took on the Chaminade Red Devils at home for senior night. The night began with a ceremony in which the team’s four seniors–Andrew Hipskind, Joe Coovert, Grant Sullivan, and Manalang–were honored for their four years of dedication to the program, helping it continue its legacy. The game began with all four seniors in the starting lineup, and they did not disappoint, leading the way for the Jr. Bills in the first set and helping secure a commanding 25-10 win. The second set continued the same trend, with junior Jack Spowal’s block securing an easy 25-9 victory. In a tradition honoring the seniors, they were subbed off one last time at Danis Field House, symbolizing passing on the torch to the rest of the team. The third set completed the sweep of the Red Devils, with a 3-0 victory which capped off an amazing career of four seniors.

District Semifinals- Ladue

To kick off what SLUH hopes to be a long playoff run, the Jr. Bills faced off against the Ladue Rams in the first round of the district tournament. Determined to learn from their mistakes and start hot, the Jr. Bills took an early lead and did not look back, taking the first set in dominant fashion, 25-9.

 “As a team, we really needed to make a statement before Lindbergh, which we really did,” said Kelsey, who put the set to rest with a kill. “As a team, we came together and performed to our highest ability.” 

The Volleybills were able to continue their momentum into the second set, starting on a 4-0 run and winning 25-13. Without letting up on the gas, the Jr. Bills put the Rams to rest in the third set, securing the 25-15 win thanks to the spike of senior Grant Sullivan. After their dominant win against the Rams, the Jr. Bills turned their sights toward the No. 1 ranked team in Missouri, the Lindbergh Flyers.

District Finals - Lindbergh

Last night, the Jr. Bills faced off against the Lindbergh Flyers in the Class 6, District 2 finals, a rematch that the team has been looking forward to ever since their defeat one month prior. In their first matchup, the Jr. Bills fell 1-3 in sets, a game which the team viewed as flat and disappointing. This was one of the most highly anticipated games of the postseason, not only for SLUH, but for the whole state, a matchup between the No. 1 and No. 4 ranked teams in the state, and it did not disappoint. 

The Jr. Bills came out hot, shocking the Flyers with a 25-17 win in the first set, led by junior Rockhurst-commit Anthony Bene. Despite being in enemy territory and facing a vicious Lindbergh student section, the Jr. Bills let the momentum roll, taking the second set in similar dominant fashion and winning 25-22. The Flyers responded strong, though, taking the third set 25-20 in a hard fought battle. 

“After that third set loss, we knew exactly what we were going to do in the fourth set: play with that same energy and beat the hell out of ‘em,” said Bene. “We came in knowing exactly what we needed to do to win, and we did it.”

 Heading into the fourth set, carried by the energy of their sideline, SLUH came out to an early lead, and held it throughout this game-defining set. With the entire Lindbergh gym roaring, the Jr. Bills won the final set 25-21, clinching the second district. This will send them to state where they will face off against Mehlville, the No. 20 ranked team in the state next Thursday in the state quarterfinals. The boys are ready for war.