District 9 girls volleyball: Moniteau loses ‘heartbreaking’ 5-set thriller vs Redbank Valley in first round

October 22, 2025 Last Updated: October 22, 2025 10:45 PM Sports

Moniteau’s Maddy Eury (23) returns a Redbank Valley serve in a District 9 Class 2A girls volleyball first-round game Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

CHERRY TWP — Redbank Valley suffered a heartbreaking loss early.

The Bulldogs broke Moniteau’s heart late.

Rallying from a 2-0 deficit Wednesday night in its District 9 Class 2A girls volleyball first-round match at Moniteau — including a 28-30 loss in the first set — Redbank Valley (11-9) stormed back to claim a 3-2 victory and end the Warriors’ season.

Set scores were 28-30, 19-25, 25-20, 25-18, 15-11.

“This is heartbreaking,” Moniteau coach Katie Loos said. “Playoffs are always tough and you can lose at anytime. I didn’t think it would be this soon.”

Junior Emily Matz paced Moniteau with nine kills, four aces and five blocks. Lily Staab had eight kills while Jayce Brunst tallied five kills, two aces and two blocks. Alyssa Thompson had four kills.

“Emily was our all-star this year,” Loos said. “She really stepped up for us. We’re going to miss our two seniors (Staab and Sydney Brunst). They were tremendous leaders all year.

“We got to the playoffs with a young team. That’s saying something.”

Fifth-seeded Redbank Valley will play top-seed Brookville next week.

The Warriors (9-10) claimed the first set on an ace by Matz. Redbank Valley had set point three times late — at 24-22 and 27-26 — but couldn’t finish it off. Neither team ever led by more than three points, and the score was tied 17 times in the opening set.

Moniteau opened up a 23-12 lead in the second set, aided by three consecutive aces by Matz. Thompson secured the winning point in the second set.

Moniteau’s Emily Matz (12) celebrates after taking the lead against Redbank Valley in a District 9 Class 2A girls volleyball first-round game Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

“These girls love to raise my stress level,” Redbank Valley coach Becky Dougherty said. “But these girls are fighters. We showed a lot of grit tonight the way we kept coming back.

“I don’t know if it’s the time on the bus to get here or what, but it’s taken us a while to get the ball rolling offensively. Regardless, we knew this would be a tough match again.”

Moniteau defeated Redbank Valley 3-2 in their only regular season meeting.

Led by three kills from junior Braylynn Rearick, the Bulldogs jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the third set. Kills by Thompson and Staab helped Moniteau tie the set at 9-9, and the score was even at 16 before Redbank Valley scored nine of the set’s final 14 points.

A kill by Matz and an errant Redbank Valley serve pulled the Warriors within 10-9 in the fourth set. The Bulldogs responded with a 10-2 run to take control and force a fifth and deciding set.

“When we needed to respond, we did. That seemed to be the theme all night,” Dougherty said.

The Warriors jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the final set, an ace by sophomore Maddy Eury securing the sixth point. But back came the Bulldogs again, a kill by Rearick knotting the set at 10. Rearick’s ace gave the Bulldogs the lead they never lost at 12-10. A dink by senior Adyson Bond provided the final point of the match.

“It just wasn’t in the cards for us tonight,” Loos said. “We were well-prepared. We brought students in for a practice to provide noise because we knew the gym would be loud tonight. We wanted to get the girls to speak louder (during volleys).

“Still, we lacked communication at times, had some bad serves. ... We played a little sloppy tonight.”

Rearick paced Redbank Valley with 20 kills.

“This is her first year starting varsity,” Dougherty said of the junior outside hitter. “She was a middle hitter on our JV team the past two years. Now she’s become our go-to girl on offense.”

Moniteau’s Maddy Eury (23) returns a Redbank Valley serve in a District 9 Class 2A girls volleyball first-round game Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Moniteau’s Emily Matz (12) spikes the ball against Redbank Valley in a District 9 Class 2A girls volleyball first-round game Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Moniteau’s Charlotte Thompson (2) sets the ball to a teammate for a shot against Redbank Valley in a District 9 Class 2A girls volleyball first-round game Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw