The Valmeyer High School volleyball team finished its season just one win shy of returning to the state tournament for the first time since 2012.

Following a sectional title victory on Thursday night, the Pirates played in a Class 1A super-sectional contest at Centralia on Saturday against a tough Clay City team that had only two losses all season.
Valmeyer battled hard but ultimately fell in two games, 26-28, 16-25.

“We started out well in the first match, but just couldn’t put it away,” Valmeyer head coach Jenny Kohnz said. “Clay City fought back and took that momentum to the second game.”

After Clay City roared out to a 5-0 lead in the second game, Kohnz called a timeout.

“But we never really got back in the game,” she said. “We couldn’t get the ball down. We had only about 16 kills between the two matches.”

In the sectional title game at Norris City on Thursday, the Pirates turned in a thrilling 25-17, 17-25, 25-23 victory over Christopher.

Sam Seidel led the way with 10 kills, including the knockout blow in the deciding game…>>>

Read the full story in the November 11 issue of the Republic-Times. If you don’t already receive the paper, you can subscribe by calling 939-3814 or clicking here, or pick up a copy at any of these locations.