By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After winning the tournament championship a year earlier, Seaman's volleyball team didn't the performance it was looking for in Saturday's Seaman Invitational.
Seaman volleyball celebrates a point during Saturday's Seaman Invitational third-place match. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But after posting a 3-2 record and finishing fourth in the 10-school field, Viking coach Tatiana Dowling said the objective for her team now is to bounce back from that performance moving forward.
"Our goal is to learn from it and grow from it and be motivated for the rest of the season because we talked about it in our locker room that it doesn't get easier from here,'' Dowling said. "We have a tough schedule for the last third, which we're excited about.''
Seaman, now 17-4 on the season, dropped a three-set decision to eventual tournament champion Spring Hill in pool play, with the Broncos taking a 25-21, 21-25, 25-22 win, and the Vikings dropped a 25-16, 26-24 match to reigning Class 3A champion Heritage Christian in the third-place match in what was a rematch of the 2022 Seaman final.
Seaman, fourth in the 5A state tournament the past two seasons, picked up wins over Silver Lake (25-17, 25-19), defending 4A state champ Bishop Miege (25-21, 25-23) and Bishop Carroll (25-16, 25-17).
"It definitely feels like a bit of a roller-coaster for us,'' Dowling said. "We have some learning that we need to do and we've got to come together as a team in all aspects and try to take it to the next level when we get back.''
Tournament champion Spring Hill, coached by Topeka native Erica (Cowhick) Book, went 5-0 on the day, capped by a 25-14, 25-23 win over Maize South, a 5A state qualifier in 2022, in the title match.
Lansing finished fifth in the tournament with a 25-17, 25-22 win over Miege.
Hayden posted a 1-3 record on the day, with the Wildcats' lone win a 25-17, 25-21 win over Hutchinson.
Silver Lake went 0-4 but pushed 5A Bishop Carroll to three sets.
Seaman junior Maegan Mills and senior Taylin Stallbaumer were named to the 10-player all-tournament team.
SEAMAN INVITATIONAL
Pool A results
Seaman def. Silver Lake, 25-17, 25-19; Biship Miege def. Bishop Carroll, 25-19, 25-19; Spring Hill def. Seaman, 25-21, 21-25, 25-22; Bishop Carroll def. Silver Lake, 18-25, 25-19, 26-24; Seaman def. Bishop Miege, 25-21, 25-23; Spring Hill def. Silver Lake, 25-15, 25-19; Seaman def. Bishop Carroll, 25-16, 25-17; Spring Hill def. Bishop Miege, 25-15, 25-23; Bishop Miege def. Silver Lake, 25-17, 24-19; Spring Hill def. Bishop Carroll, 20-25, 25-10, 25-19.
Pool B results
Lansing def. Hayden, 25-20, 25-17; Heritage Christian def. Hutchinson, 25-16, 25-11; Maize South def. Lansing, 23-25, 25-15, 26-24; Hayden def. Hutchinson, 25-17, 25-21; Heritage Christian def. Lansing, 12-25, 25-16, 25-17; Maize South def. Hayden, 25-19, 25-18; Lansing def. Hutchinson, 25-11, 25-16; Maize South def. Heritage Christian, 25-17, 25-19; Heritage Christian def. Hayden, 25-9, 25-18; Maize South def. Hutchinson, 25-14, 25-13.
Championship -- Spring Hill def. Maize South, 25-14, 25-23.
Third -- Heritage Christian def. Seaman, 25-16, 26-24.
Fifth -- Lansing def. Bishop Miege, 25-17, 25-22.
All-tournament team
Rachel Van Gorp, sr., Heritage Christian; Maegan Mills, jr., Seaman; Camdyn Stucky, sr., Maize South; Cy Rae Campbell, sr., Heritage Christian; Jillian Gregory, jr., Maize South; Anna Laincz, sr., Lansing; Keilah Rivers, sr., Spring Hill; Lauren Lopez, jr., Bishop Miege; Taylin Stallbaumer, sr., Seaman; Shannon Frakes, sr., Spring Hill
