Valmeyer’s Kendra Goldschmidt sends the ball over the net during a recent match against Dupo. (Alan Dooley photo)

With a couple of weeks remaining in the regular season, local high school volleyball teams are gearing up for the postseason. 

IHSA regional pairings will be announced this Friday afternoon.

Valmeyer (14-14) has only nine players on its varsity roster this season, but is always a tough out at season’s end. The Pirates went 1-3 at the Carlinville tournament over the weekend, winning against Springfield Lanphier and falling to Carlyle, Greenville and Central A&M. The loss to Greenville was in three sets.

On Monday, the Pirates suffered a three-set loss to Marissa, 25-23, 14-25, 25-27.

Valmeyer hosted Okawville on Tuesday, hosts New Athens on Thursday and hosts Red Bud this coming Tuesday before playing at Dupo on Oct. 11.

The Pirates are led by seniors Guin Kohnz, Sara Andres and Kendra Goldschmidt. Kohnz leads in assists, Andres leads in kills and blocks, and Goldschmidt is tops in points and digs.

Waterloo (11-6-1) is playing well as the Mississippi Valley Conference schedule kicks into high gear. The Bulldogs defeated Triad last Tuesday, Jerseyville on Thursday and Civic Memorial on Tuesday to improve to 6-1 in MVC play.

Senior leader Hannah Cope led the team with six points, four aces, five kills and nine assists in the win over Triad. She had nine kills and 15 assists and Taylor Wilson added nine points in the win over Jerseyville.

Jessie Seidel leads the Bulldogs with 78 points, 22 aces and 91 kills. Kati Casey leads the team with 223 assists. Kendra Walla is tops in blocks with 17.

Waterloo plays at cross-town rival Gibault on Thursday in the annual “Dig Pink” game for breast cancer awareness.

Gibault (12-9) snapped an eight-match losing skid with a 25-22, 25-19 win over Columbia on Saturday to end play in the Belleville East Tournament. Kayla Huels had 22 assists and Grace Floerke and Ande Grohmann recorded eight kills each. 

The Hawks lost at Belleville West on Thursday prior to tourney play, then dropped matches to O’Fallon, Breese Central, Mascoutah and Belleville East in the tourney.

On Monday, Gibault took down Father McGivney in straight sets, winning 25-18, 25-18.

The Hawks played at Mater Dei on Tuesday.

Huels leads the team in points and assists this season. Ashlyn Wightman leads in kills and blocks. Haley Davitz is tops in digs.

Columbia (12-13) dropped all five matches in the Belleville tourney over the weekend, losing to Mater Dei, Parkway West and Belleville West in three sets and Mt. Pulaski and Gibault in two sets.

The loss to Belleville West was by a 29-27 score in the deciding set.

“The tournament at Belleville East had some really good teams in it,” Columbia first-year head coach Elysia Sepich said. “They worked hard all weekend.” 

Prior to the tourney, Columbia posted a thrilling 25-23, 22-25, 25-18 victory over Breese Central on Thursday. Molly Mistler finished with 10 kills. Paige Becker added 14 assists and Lindsay Wibbenmeyer added 15 assists.

The Eagles were 5-2 in Cahokia Conference play entering Tuesday’s match at Salem. Columbia hosts Wesclin on Thursday.

“All the girls are very excited on where we stand right now in our conference,” Sepich said. “They all work very hard every day, whether it’s in practice or a game.”

Mistler leads the team in kills; Wibbenmeyer is tops in assists.

“The team is clicking well and I know when they need a push and when they can work it out on their own,” Sepich said. “I am very proud of all of them and how they have been doing this season.”

Dupo (3-13) picked up a much-needed win Sept. 24 against First Baptist Academy, 25-20, 25-16.

The Tigers hosted Lebanon on Tuesday and will host Valmeyer on Oct. 11.

Kyleigh Williams leads the team in points and aces. Annalese Gill leads in both kills and blocks. Cameron Foster is tops on the team in assists.