GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
ROXANA INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
GROUP STAGE
ROXANA – Roxana was nearly flawless in girls volleyball play Monday night in the Roxana Tourney and captured a berth in the semifinals with wins over Granite City 25-8, 25-13, over Father McGivney 25-17, 25-20, and Dupo 25-18, 25-12.
Father McGivney Catholic finished with two wins, one over Dupo 25-16, 25-12 and Granite City 25-14, 25-18 and now plays in the Silver Bracket.
FATHER MCGIVNEY CATHOLIC 25-25, DUPO 12-16: Father McGivney started its new season off on the right foot at the Roxana Invitational with a sweep of Dupo in the group stage.
Mary-Elizabeth Benware served up two points and an ace for the Griffins, while Emma Bukovac had two blocks, Aislin Hall served up a point and an ace, Maddie Hylla had three points, all aces, and an assist, Sophia Ivnik came up with a block, Megan Jamruk had a point and ace, along with five assists, Sami Oller had six kills, Mia Range had a kill, Abigail Root had four kills and Jada Zumwalt had two points, both aces, and five assists.
ROXANA 25-25, FATHER MCGIVNEY CATHOLIC 17-20: In both teams’ second match of the evening, the host Shells held off the Griffins in a close match to take control of the group.
Bukovac had a kill and two blocks, Hall had two points, two kills and two blocks, Hylla served up two points, both aces, Ivnik had two kills and three blocks, Jamruk had two points and eight assists, Oller served up two points, both aces, to go along with four kills and a block, Range had two kills, Root had five blocks and Zumwalt had a point, two kills and an assist.
FATHER MCGIVNEY CATHOLIC 25-25, GRANITE CITY 14-18: In both teams’ final match of the group stage, McGivney defeated Granite in straight sets to take two of its three matches.
Benware had three kills and a block for the Griffins, while Bukovac served up a point and ace, one kill and three blocks, Hall had seven points, five aces and a kill, Ivnik had four kills and five blocks, Jamruk came up with two assists, Oller had a point and ace, two kills and a block, Range had a kill and a block and Zumwalt had a point and ace, along with five assists.
In other matches in the opening day of the tournament, the Shells opened up with a win over the Warriors 25-9, 25-13, it was Marquette Catholic over Jersey 17-25, 25-17, 15-13, Greenfield Northwestern won over Mt. Olive 25-11, 25-9, Granite defeated Dupo 25-16, 25-14, Jersey won over Mt. Olive 25-21, 25-17, the Explorers swept Northwestern 25-21, 26-24, it was the Panthers over Northwestern 25-19, 21-25, 15-8, Roxana swept its group with a win over Dupo 25-10, 25-12 and Marquette also swept its group with a win over Mt. Olive 25-15, 25-6.
The tournament continues with the second half of the group stage on Tuesday.
In another season opener, Chatham Glenwood defeated Collinsville 22-25, 25-15, 25-23.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
