The Lady B&B Falcons have started their defense of their Class 1A-Division II state title at Fort Hays State University as the number one seed in the state tournament.

Falcons have soared through the competition this season to a 35-5 record, Tri-Twin Valley League champs, won the Valley Falls and Nemaha Valley Invitationals and placed second in the TVL tournament and Hiawatha Invitational.

Lady Falcons started pool play off this morning with solid straight win over Elyria Christian the eight seed in the tournament. Falcons got off to a fast start with Michelle Haug at the serving helm and the Falcons rattling off the first seven points of the set dominate set one 25-11. In set two the Eagles of Elyria Christian made things a little more interesting getting the first point of the match, but that would be the only time they would lead and the Eagles would never get back within more than two points the rest of the way, as the Falcons won the second set 25-19 winning the match.

In the second game of the day for the Falcons the got off to a hot start winning set number one 25-13 after being down 1-0 at the beginning B&B didn't look back cruising to the first set win over Wheatland-Grinnell. For the second set it was quite a different story as it didn't comes easy for the Falcons but they came out victorious 25-22. Down for a majority of the set B&B battle back to lead 13-12 but Wheatland-Grinnell registered consecutive points and regained the solid two to three point lead from a period of time. Getting down to crunch time in the set the Falcons made another push and ultimately took the lead to notch the straight set win.

B&B in search of a perfect pool play for the second straight year had their toughest test in their final game of the day as their opponents the Ingalls Bulldogs forced the match to three sets. Falcons look primed for another straight set win as they cruised in set one 25-11, but the Ingalls Bulldogs had other ideas. Ingalls would lead for awhile in set number two, then B&B appeared to take control of the game, but Ingalls made a late push to capture the set 25-23. Ingalls carried that momentum into the third set to start with a 3-0 run but after that it was All Falcons.

B&B on the day had multiple big performers as Luara Sudbeck and Haley Strathman came up with hammer smashing kills throughout the competition. Up front along Sudbeck and Strathman was Ashley Kramer, Cassie Hulsing and Ashley Schmitz all providing stellar blocking defense. Katie Huerter on the back line was all over making plays, will the serving from multiple Falcons was on point, especially Hannah Hasenkamp and Hulsing.

Pool play (results): 

B&B (1) straight set win over Elyria Christian (8) 25-11, 25-19

B&B (1) straight set win over Wheatland-Grinnell (5) 25-13, 25-22

B&B (1) three set win over Ingalls (4) 25-11, 23-25, 25-13 

Listen live to the games here:

B&B (1) vs. Weskan (6) -- Semifinals 10:00am (click here to listen)

Consolation/Championship -- 15 minutes after semifinals (click here to listen)