HIGH SCHOOL: MEADOW HEIGHTS FALLS IN SECTIONAL VOLLEYBALL

ADVANCE, Mo. -- A stunned Meadow Heights Lady Panther team must be wondering what hit them. It was only a Wildcat from Winona, but it was a devastating blow.

The Lady Panthers (32-3) saw their tremendous season come to an end at the hands of the Winona Lady Wildcats in the Class 1A Sectional semifinal at Advance on Saturday afternoon. Meadow Heights lost in three sets 15-0, 14-16, 8-15.

District 4 champion Winona, located about 100 miles west of Cape Girardeau, improved to 30-4 and advanced to the sectional final where it swept Bernie.

With a standing room only crowd of 1100 looking on, Meadow Heights totally dominated the Wildcats in the first game, shutting them out. Passing beautifully to set the offense, the Lady Panthers looked invincible.

If Meadow Heights was wondering if it could be this easy, they didn't have long to wait for an answer.

Winona jumped out to a 6-0 lead in a thrilling second game, then extended the lead to 9-1 before Meadow Heights rallied to take the lead at 14-11, one point away from victory and a chance to reach the sectional final.

But the tenacious Wildcats, cheered by a spirited and vocal crowd of about 300, was having none of it. They reeled off five straight points to take the game 16-14.

"It was unbelievable, a lot of heart," said Winona's third-year coach Francie McBride, who became a mother for the first time this past Sunday. "I knew it wasn't over and they (her team) did, too."

Game three saw Winona again jump out to an early lead of 8-0. This time there was no spark left in the Lady Panthers as they, although battling to the end, dropped the game 15-8.

"We just let down, maybe because we've never been in this position before," said Meadow Heights coach Erin Hoffman. "They (Winona) had a lot of drive and a lot of heart. They wanted it really bad."

The Lady Panthers were led by the eight kills of Jessica Bollinger. Holly Boyd and Tessa Bollinger chipped in with seven, while Emily Heitman played an outstanding defensive game.

Winona, a young team with only one senior on the squad, was led by Marci Johnson with 12 kills and sophomore Adeana McAfee and freshman Jessica Bland with seven apiece. Bland also had 15 assists.

Bernie won the other semifinal contest over Holcomb 15-5, 15-2.

In a rematch of last year's final, Winona avenged a loss to Bernie, winning 15-4, 17-15.