Zayda Oller (center) of Roxana fights through a double block from Granite City and scores a kill during group play at the Roxana tournament on Tuesday at Milazzo Gym.
Greg Shashack / The Telegraph
ROXANA – The Western Illinois Valley Conference volleyball team continued to show its strengths on the second day of the 15th annual Roxana Invitational on Tuesday.
Greenfield battled through a 3-0 night in two three-set matches to win, giving the Tigers the group win and advancing to the championship round of the tournament on Saturday.
With WIVC rivals Calhoun and Carrollton winning pools on Monday, Greenfield gives the league a third spot in the Final Four of the 12-team tournament. Roxana completes the Gold Bracket and will play Greenfield in a second semifinal after the Warriors and Hawks meet at 11 a.m. Saturday.
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The host Shells also had to battle through two third sets to regain gold after finishing third here last season. Roxana, led by middle blocker Sarah Baldwin and setter Daisy Daugherty, won Pool C by defeating Auburn 25-15, 19-25, 15-10, Granite City 25-17, 25-13 and Southwestern 23-25, 25-14, 15-8.
While Roxana, Calhoun and Carrollton entered the tournament as the top seeds in their groups, Greenfield was the third seed in a Group B headlined by Valmeyer. But after finishing runner-up in each of the past two seasons, Valmeyer lost 3-0 at Roxana and began a rebuilding season after saying goodbye to three All-Tourney players at the net.
After sweeping Mount Olive 25-15 and 25-18, Greenfield pulled out all the stops, recovering from first-set losses to defeat Valmeyer 22-24, 25-9 and 15-13 and East Alton-Wood River 18-25, 25-20 and 15-12.
That final game against the Tigers prevented EA-WR from facing rival Roxana in Saturday’s semifinals. The Oilers defeated Valmeyer 25-8, 25-12 to start the evening and defeated Mount Olive 25-23, 25-11 before falling to Greenfield.
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EA-WR advances to the Silver Bracket in the junior high gym with the group runners-up and will play Auburn in the fifth-place semifinals after Father McGivney faces Civic Memorial at 11 a.m. Saturday.
The Oilers won two of three pool games, with Kaidence Reef providing 55 assists to go along with 16 kills from Kenadie Romero and Camey Adams and 15 kills from Violet Stover. Jayde Kassler made 49 digs and Somona Acheson had 35 digs to lead the EA-WR defense.
Saturday’s bracket games begin at 9 a.m. In the Bronze Bracket semifinals, Jersey will play Marquette Catholic and Mount Olive will play Granite City for ninth place, while Dupo will play Gillespie and Southwestern will play Valmeyer, all looking for their first Copper Bracket win.
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ROXANA TOURNAMENT
Pool A: Calhoun, Father McGivney, Jersey, Dupo.
Pool B: Valmeyer, East Alton–Wood River, Greenfield, Mount Olive.
Pool C: Roxana, Auburn, Granite City, Southwest.
Pool D: Carrollton, Civic Memorial, Marquette Catholic, Gillespie.
Monday, August 26
(Milazzo Gym)
Calhoun defeated Father McGivney 25-21 and 25-19.
Calhoun defeated Jersey 25–17, 25–13.
Carrollton defeated Marquette 22-25, 25-8, 15-8.
Carrollton defeated Gillespie 25-15, 25-9.
(Additional gym)
Jersey defeated. Dupo 25-18, 25-15.
Father McGivney defeated. Dupo 25-7, 25-6.
Father McGivney defeated Jersey 25–11, 25–22.
Calhoun defeated. Dupo 25-7, 25-13.
(Middle school gym)
Carrollton defeats CM 25–23, 25–23.
Marquette defeated Gillespie 25-11, 25-9.
CM defeated Gillespie 25–19, 25–15.
CM defeated Marquette 25–22, 25–17.
Tuesday, August 27
(Milazzo Gym)
Roxana defeats Auburn 25-15, 19-25, 15-10.
Roxana defeated Granite City 25-17, 25-13.
Greenfield defeated Valmeyer 22-25, 25-9, 15-13.
Roxana defeated Southwestern 23–25, 25–14, 15–8.
(Additional gym)
Granite City defeats Southwestern 26–24, 25–20.
Auburn defeats Southwestern 25–20, 25–18.
EA-WR defeated Mount Olive 25-23, 25-11.
Mount Olive defeated Valmeyer 25-19, 25-22.
(Middle school gym)
EA-WR defeated Valmeyer 25-8, 25-12.
Greenfield defeats Mount Olive 25-15, 25-18.
Auburn defeats Granite City 26–28, 25–22, 15–8.
Greenfield defeated EA-WR 18-25, 25-20, 15-12.
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Saturday, August 31
GOLDEN CLAMP
(Milazzo Gym)
Game 1: Calhoun vs. Carrollton, 11
Match 2: Greenfield vs. Roxana, 12:00 p.m
Third place: Loser Match 1 vs. Loser Match 2, 1
Championship: Winner Game 1 against Winner Game 2, 2
Silver clip
(Middle school gym)
Game 1: Father McGivney vs CM, 11
Game 2: EA-WR vs. Auburn, 12:00 p.m.
Seventh place: Loser Match 1 vs. Loser Match 2, 1
Fifth place: Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2, 2
BRONZE BRACKET
Game 1: Jersey vs. Marquette, 9 (Milazzo)
Game 2: Mount Olive vs. Granite City, 9 (Additional High School)
Eleventh Place: Loser Match 1 vs. Loser Match 2, 10 (Aux Gym)
Ninth place: Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2, 10 (Milazzo)
COPPER BRACKET
Game 1: Dupo vs. Gillespie, 9 (Junior High)
Game 2: Valmeyer vs. Southwestern, 10 (Junior High)
Fifteenth place: Loser Match 1 vs. Loser Match 2, 11 (Aux Gym)
Thirteenth place: Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2, 12:00 (Aux Gym)
