Eagles advance to "silver bracket"

The Oran High School volleyball team went 1-3-1 during this weekend's Dig for Life Classic, playing all of their matches on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University in the Show Me Center and Student Recreation Center.

The Eagles split with Puxico during their first match losing 22-25 and winning 25-20

Later Friday evening they were swept by Calvary Lutheran 9-25, 10-25.  Brianna Stause had 2 kills and Jessie Long added 1.

Oran was back in action Saturday morning.  They lost in straight sets to Notre Dame 13-25, 14-25. In that match both Stause and Kenzie Graviett had 4 kills.  Long had a kill and Megan Tenkhoff chipped in with an ace.

The Eagles won a tie breaker with Kennet, who had also ended pool play 1-5, to claim 2nd in the pool and advance into the silver bracket.

In the first match of tournament play, Oran won the final two sets to defeat Twin Rivers.  After dropping the first 24-26, the Eagles rebounded 25-18 and 25-17 to pick up the win.  Stause had 3 aces, 5 kills and 2 blocks.  Graviett had 2 aces and 4 kills.  Kaylee Payne had an ace and 3 kills.  Long slammed home 8 kills and Tenkhoff had a block.

The Eagles tournament run would come to an end with a 3 set loss to Viburnum.  Oran claimed the first game 25-18, but dropped the next two 15-25 and 18-25.  Long had 4 kills and 2 aces, while Stause had 3 kills and an ace.  Payne had 4 kills and Graviett 3.

Assistant coach Erika Hutchcraft said afterwards, " I am extremely proud of these girls!  We made it to the silver bracket.  I feel that we have improved tremendously from the beginning of the summer.  I feel like these girls have a bright future ahead of them, with many more victories."

Hutchcraft, who was acting as head coach due to the continued illness of Larry Boshell, was assisted by Ms. Amy Wibbenmeyer.

The Eagles will be back in action on Tuesday when they travel to take on conference foe Scott City at 6 pm.