A few local high school volleyball teams opened their seasons with tournament play as a kickstart to the fall campaign.

Valmeyer (5-1) won four of five matches in the annual Roxana Tournament. 

Following two-set wins over Jerseyville, Wood River and Granite City on Aug. 21, the Pirates played twice on Saturday to conclude the tourney. Valmeyer took down Roxana in three sets, 22-25, 25-13, 15-7, before falling to Hardin-Calhoun, 27-25, 25-17, in the tourney  final. 

Brooke Miller, Kierstin Miller and Mia McSchooler were all named to the all-tourney squad for the Pirates.

On Monday, Valmeyer won a regular season match over Marissa, 25-11, 25-12. Brooke Miller had 11 points, 11 kills and seven blocks. Kierstin Miller added 10 kills. McSchooler notched 10 points and Violet Krekel had 19 assists in the victory. 

Valmeyer hosts rival New Athens this coming Tuesday. 

Gibault (5-2) defeated O’Fallon First Baptist, New Athens, Wesclin and Steeleville before falling to Red Bud in the title match of the Marissa/New Athens Tournament over the weekend. 

The score in the loss to Red Bud was 21-16, 21-15. 

Lucy Range and Kate Kreps earned all-tourney team recognition for the Hawks. 

Gibault opened its 2023 campaign with a two-set loss to Belleville East on Aug. 21, followed by a two-set win over Red Bud last Tuesday. 

Range leads the Hawks with 37 points, 35 kills and 40 assists in the early going. 

Aubry Thomas leads the team with 69 digs. 

Gibault hosted Metro East Lutheran on Tuesday, plays Thursday at Wesclin and hosts Collinsville this coming Tuesday. 

Columbia is 2-0 to start the season. 

The Eagles won 25-13, 20-25, 25-16 over Marquette last Wednesday, then took down Althoff on Thursday, 28-26, 16-25, 25-22. 

Elliana Ames finished with 10 points, four kills and four blocks in the Marquette win, with Ava Mathews contributing six points, seven kills and seven assists. 

Mathews had 13 kills, 12 assists and six blocks in the Althoff win, with Megan Bolyard recording 19 assists.

Columbia hosts Civic Memorial on Tuesday, plays Thursday at Salem and competes in the Edwardsville Tournament this weekend before hosting Wood River on Tuesday. 

Dupo is still looking for its first victory of the season.

The Tigers dropped five matches at the Roxana tourney, then lost a two-set match Monday at Sparta. 

Allison Taylor leads the team with 22 points so far this season. Alli DeClue leads with 60 assists, Kaylyn Woods is tops with 21 kills, and Maddie Ehrhard leads with 11 blocks for the Tigers, who play Wednesday at Madison before hosting Marissa on Tuesday.