For the first time since 1999, the Sabetha volleyball team is headed to the state tournament. The Lady Jays ran their unbelievable record to 35-1 on the season by winning the St. Mary's Sub State on Saturday, which included four other of the top ranked teams in Class 3A. The Jays at one time trailing 17-12 in the final set, leaned on the leadership from their four seniors in Melinna Schumann, Leah Renyer, Eryn Deters and Camryn Wessel to keep a year Sabetha fans won't soon forget going.

Wessel rattled off three consecutive kills, followed by two phenomenal serves to bring the Jays back into the contest. Sabetha also survived three match points from the defending 3A Champs of Royal Valley in the championship, in large part due to the dominate net play from Deters who rejected the Panthers Ivy Fink not once but twice when Fink was attempting to put the match away. Sabetha would ride that momentum to rally for the 27-25 victory in the thrilling decisive set. Sabetha had lost the first set of the title match 25-14, but didn't blink an eye in coming back to post a 25-17 win to draw even in the finals match.  

The top seed and #1 ranked Bluejays cruised through the opening two rounds of sub state with a 25-15 and 25-18 win against host St. Mary's before topping Rossville in the semifinals 25-23, 25-23. The championship match against Royal Valley was the fourth meeting of the year and first match between the Big 7 schools since the Panthers handed Sabetha their only loss of this season in straight sets on October 3rd at the Silver Lake Tournament. The Jays completed the comeback victory and improved to 10-0 in matches that went to three sets this year.  

Senior, Melinna Schumann also surpassed 1,000 kills in the tournament, becoming the first player in Sabetha history to accomolish this feat. She also now holds the school record for digs and had posted 313 kills on the season entering Saturday, which was tied for a team high with fellow senior, Leah Renyer.  Junior setter, Emily Krebs emerged with more than 750 kills to led all 3A this fall as well as having the top serving percentage in the Class. Sophomore Mary Lukert played her regular role after earlier winning the 3A Regional Cross Country individual title at Riley County. 

The 2020 magical season started with Sabetha not even ranked following a .500 campaign in 2018 and then a 32-9 mark last year. The Jays graduated seven seniors last season and had only two returning starters entering 2020. Fourth year Coach Abby Stueve, who previously served three years at Sabetha as an assistant, now has Sabetha locked into their best volleyball season in school history as they will open the 3A State Tourney in the new format this year with a quarterfinal best of five set match against Perry Lecompton. 

The Kaws will host the match because they won the (even numbered) Sub State #6 at Wellsville. Sabetha is 4-0 this year against Perry but the last two matches have both gone to three sets and the Tuesday 6:00 PM contest will determine who advances to the 3A State semifinal in Hutchinson this Saturday, October 31st.  Live coverage on Sabetha vs. Perry Lecompton volleyball can be heard Tuesday on KNZA 103.9 FM.