The Chester 2A Volleyball Regional championship game was the third time Red Bud and Cahokia Conference rival Columbia met this year. Each team had one win coming into the finals but inconsistent play from the Lady Musketeers led to a 25-14, 25-15 win.
“We have been up and down all year and we were not consistent enough tonight to beat a good team like Columbia,” said first-year Red Bud head coach Brooke Toenjes. “I think talent-wise, Columbia and ourselves are pretty close but we had too many mental breakdowns. I knew whoever came out ready to play early would win.”
In set one, Red Bud fell behind 7-2 early and couldn’t find its rhythm. Brandy Reinhardt had three kills in the first set and a big block but it was not enough to slow down Columbia.
In set two, Red Bud got off to a good start, leading 9-2 behind three early kills and two aces from Reinhardt.
Columbia answered back with an 11-3 run to take the lead for good. The Lady Eagles then went on a 12-3 run to finish off the set with a 25-15 victory.
“Brandy had a good night for us with her kills and her serving,” said Toenjes. “Luckily for us, she’s only a junior. Overall, we had a really good season. After having just six wins over the past three years, the girls came out with 15 wins this season. We advanced to the regional championship and put Red Bud back as a reputable program.”