The Chillicothe Lady Hornets volleyball team turned in a strong showing at their home tournament Saturday, rolling through pool play and advancing to the championship match before finishing as the runner-up.
Chillicothe dominated pool play, sweeping Carrollton (25-15, 25-15), St. Paul Concordia (25-15, 25-10), and South Harrison (25-11, 25-12) to take first place in their pool.
In bracket play, the Hornets held off Excelsior Springs in a three-set battle, 2-1 (25-20, 22-25, 25-12), to earn a spot in the championship. Facing perennial power Bishop LeBlond in the final, Chillicothe battled but fell short, 0-2 (14-25, 13-25), to finish second overall.
The Hornets were led offensively by Lyla Beetsma, who finished the tournament with 46 kills and 46 digs, and Emerson Staton, who added 38 kills, 32 digs, and 8 service aces. Ava Leamer contributed all-around with 20 kills and 40 digs, while setter Carman Woodworth ran the offense with an outstanding 90 assists on the day. From the service line, Clara Fisher (6 aces) and Kami Snyder (5 aces) also made key contributions.
The second-place finish highlighted both Chillicothe’s depth and consistency, as the Hornets tallied four victories in five matches on their home court.