Maryville’s dominant net play paved the way for the program’s first trip to the Missouri State Volleyball Championships.

The Spoofhounds dropped only one game during a pair of victories Saturday during Class 2 postseason play at Lexington High School. Jordan Stiens recorded double-digit kills in wins against Lee’s Summit Community Christian and Lafayette County to propel Maryville into next week’s semifinals.

“It’s so surreal,” Maryville coach Lori Klaus said. “It was nice to know that the girls rose to the competition. There were some nerves, but I think they handled it the right way.”

The only real scare for the Spoofhounds came during the sectional match against LSCC. Maryville (36-1) lost the second game, 25-21, but quickly rebound and claimed the decisive frame by nine points.

Maryville even exacted some revenge on the way to state by knocking off Lafayette County, the only team to defeat the Spoofhounds this year. During the grudge match, Maryville jumped out to big leads in both games on the way to a convincing 25-20, 25-18 win. Stiens pounded down 12 kills and threw up eight blocks in the quarterfinal tilt.

“We came out and played really strong,” Klaus said. “It was nice to come out and prove to them that we’re better and we wanted it more.”

Several other Spoofhounds played crucial roles, as well, as setter Rachel Tobin recorded at least 25 assists in each match. Jessica From and Leah Bostwick also piled up double-digit digs in each match.

Maryville advances to the Class 2 semifinal against College Heights Christian in a match that will take place Friday at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium.

K.C. Lutheran 2, Mound City 0

Back in the playoffs for the first time in a decade, the Panthers bowed out against a solid, state-bound K.C. Lutheran squad in Class 1 sectional play at Santa Fe High School.

Mound City (19-7) reeled off a strong finish to the season by sweeping its way to the Highway 275 Conference title for the first time in program history and claiming its first district title since 1999. The Panthers knocked off Rock Port in the district title game after the team finished as runners-up in district three of the past four seasons.

But the Panthers struggled during their initial match of postseason play and dropped the contest 25-15, 25-18 to a Lutheran squad that went on to beat Concordia in a three-game quarterfinal match.

Mound City coach Kayla Schoonover believes her team’s lack of experience prevented the team from swining into full gear.

“We matched up with (Lutheran) very well, and I feel we could have won the game if we hadn’t been so jittery,” Schoonover said. “Next time I think we’ll be ready for this.”

The Panthers led briefly in the second game, 10-9, but could not replicate their normally solid net play, as senior Laura Schoonover notched just four kills and two blocks.