Linn volleyball coach Michelle Kelley said playing for a championship at last week’s Class 2, District 8 tournament was a thrill for a couple reasons.

“This is the first time in the program’s history that we’ve been in the championship game, so that was very exciting,” said Kelley.

“It was also personally satisfying because I started my volleyball career as a player at Belle, and to play for a title there on that floor was special.”

In that final match, it was an Osage County showdown as Linn took on Fatima, which Kelley knew would be tough.

“Fatima has a very strong volleyball program, and I knew we’d have to play our best,” she said.

“I’m happy that we competed with them.”

The first set ended with an 8-25 loss but Linn made some adjustments and played better in the second set, but eventually lost 14-25 to end the year at 10-20-1.

“Of course I don’t like losing, but the girls were very excited to play in a big match like this,” said Kelley. “This is something the team can build on for next year.”

Amber Hueste led the team with five serve points and eight assists, as Alexis Wolfe (ace), Lexie Heidbrink, Lauren Hock and Samantha Brandt each had two serve points.

Heidbrink posted a teamhigh 10 hits with six kills, while Wolfe had seven hits with one kill and a block, Grace Brandt had four hits with a kill, and Claire Baker finished with five hits.

In the semifinals, Linn defeated Steelville 25-12, 25-20.

“Steelville has a young team but they’re prettygood, and they were the second seed,” said Kelley.

“We held them in check in the first set. They made a run in the second set, and I called a timeout to refocus the girls. I told them I didn’t want to play a third set. We wanted to finish it in two, and save our energy for Fatima in the next match.

They responded well, and played well to end it.” Heidbrink had a big match, with 15 serve points, including six aces, to go with 12 hits and five kills, and one block. Grace Brandt added 12 serve points with an ace, nine hits and five kills.

Nicole Deeken finished with five serve points, as Hueste posted four with an ace to go with two hits, a kill and 18 assists. Wolfe posted three serve points, 12 hits, seven kills, five blocks and an assist, while Hock had three hits, Samantha Brandt added two serve points, a hit and a block, and Baker posted 13 hits with two kills, a block and an assist.

To open the tournament, Linn knocked off Bourbon, 25-15, 25-17.

“We had a few errors from the service line, but we came through it with a good win,” said Kelley.

In the match, Hock and Grace Brandt shared the points lead from the service line with 10 apiece, as Brandt posted five aces to go with nine hits, a kill and an assist. Deeken and

Hueste each added seven points, and one ace apiece, as Hueste had two hits, a kill and 10 assists.

Heidbrink led with 16 hits and seven kills, as Baker had seven hits and two kills, Wolfe posted one point, five hits, five kills and three blocks, and Elizabeth Brandt added three points.