(FESTUS) St. Pius volleyball is Final Four bound for the 9th time in the last 10 years after beating Valle Catholic last Saturday in the Quarterfinals. The Lancers will now be competing for a Class 2 title beginning tomorrow morning at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Senior outside hitter Caly Otec was a freshman and sophomore when the Lancers won State in 2016 and 2017. When asked if the warm feeling of going to State ever goes away, Otec responded with, “not really.”

 
Those seniors that Otec is referencing that haven’t played for a State title yet are Gabrielle Werner and Molly Bange. Bange though, the setter, has witnessed the Lancers win state before.

 
Werner, also known as “G”, thinks back on her emotions following the Caly Otec kill that punched the team’s ticket to the Final Four.

 
On this journey to State, the Lancers have been drawing inspiration from the passing of Shelby Meyer, a former Lancer and Mineral Area College volleyball player who fell to her death while attending Columbia College back on September 21st. Caly Otec actually got to win a State title with Shelby while Shelby was a senior and Caly was a freshman back in 2016. Shelby has a sister currently on the Lancers in Summer Meyer. Caly, Gabrielle, and Molly each had something to say about Shelby and Summer.

Here’s Caly.

 
Gabrielle Werner.

 
Molly Bange.

 
The Class 2 state tournament is a Round Robin format where the Lancers will first play two sets against St. Paul Lutheran at 9, then two sets against Licking at 11, and then finally two sets against Hermann at 1. Whichever 2 teams win the most sets will play for the Class 2 championship and the 2 teams with the fewest sets won will battle for 3rd. Regardless of what St. Pius will be playing for, AM 1400 KJFF will broadcast.

If it’s for 3rd, St. Pius will play Saturday morning at 9 and if it’s for the championship, it is scheduled to be Saturday morning at 10:30.

Schedule for Friday and Saturday, here.

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