Seniors Maci Nolie, Anna Brooks, Emma Brune, Carley Godfrey and Olivia Witt were almost unstoppable this year. This was the first volleyball season that games went into the best three out of five sets. The extra play meant the Lady Eagles had more time to break records. Nolie broke the school record on career assists. Brooks broke the school record for single season digs and Brune broke the school record in career kills.
Sullivan started the season with split games. They fell to Blair Oaks to start the season in four sets. Blair Oaks won the first, third, and fourth sets. The Eagles took the second set, 25-23. Nolie was on her way to beat the school record in assists and recorded 20. Brune added six kills in the game. Sullivan won their first game when they swept the Salem Tigers in three sets, 25-17, 25-20, and 25-11.
The Lady Eagles collapsed Waynesville and Warrenton in the next two games. Sullivan swept the Lady Tigers in three sets, 25-9 and 25-14 in the last two sets. Nolie notched another 21 assists and Brune blasted another 13 kills.
The Warrenton game went into four sets because they won the third set, 25-23. Nolie added another 41 assists to her already stellar career. Brune led the team in kills with 19. They played in their first tournament of the regular season at North County and finished with two wins, two losses, and one draw.
Sullivan split the next two games. They traveled to Rolla for the first game back from North County. They were swept by Rolla in three sets. This time Witt and Brune led the team in kills with eight. Nolie added another 24 assists to her total. The following night, Sullivan avenged their loss at home against Cuba. They swept Cuba in all three sets, 25-15, 25-5, and 25-15. Freshman, Ava Blankenship, led the team in kills this time with 11. Brune and Witt followed with ten kills each. Nolie added another staggering 26 assists.
The next two games went into four sets. Sullivan won against Pacific in Sullivan, but traveled to Hermann later that week and fell. They won the first two sets against the Lady Indians, 25-21 and 25-13. Pacific won the third set, 25-23. The Lady Eagles secured the last set, 25-18. Brune led the team in kills with 19 and was followed by Will with 13. Nolie notched a tremendous 45 assists on the game. The Lady Bearcats defeated Sullivan in their first set, 25-20. Sullivan won the next set, 25-23. Hermann won the last two sets, 25-15 and 25-23. Brune led in kills again with 15 and Witt followed with 9. Nolie tallied another 28 assists.
The Lady Eagles secured a third place win at Troy Buchanan on the following weekend. They played six games in one day. Their next game was a tough battle at home against Rockwood Summit. Summit won the first set by eight, 25-17. Sullivan won the next set, 25-19. The third set was the toughest battle, but the Lady Falcons took that one, 26-24. Summit won the final set, 25-16. Brune led the team in kills and added another 18. Witt followed in kills with 14. Nolie added another stellar 38 points.
Sullivan continued their powerful season with a second place win at the Rolla tournament. They collapsed Summersville, Washington, St. Charles, and Helias. They defeated Potosi the first time they saw them in the tournament, but fell in the championship game, 25-18 and 25-12.
The next game was their annual Serving Up a Cure game against Herculaneum. Sullivan raised $2,000 to donate to Emma’s Army and the American Cancer Society. The Lady Eagles swept Herculaneum in all three sets, 25-10, 25-9, and 25-12. Brune added another 17 kills and Nolie broke the school record in career assists that night. She secured another 28 more assists. Sullivan trounced Owensville the next night on the road. They swept all three sets again, 25-15, 25-10, and 25-13. Witt led in kills this time with 11. She was followed by Brune with nine. Nolie notched another 29 assists in the game. Sullivan fell to Union at home. Union won the first, fourth, and extra set, 25-22, 25-20, and 15-9. The Lady Eagles won the second and third sets, 25-18, and 25-21. Brune led in kills again with 21. She was followed by Witt with 11. Nolie tallied another 38 assists.
The Lady Eagles swept away their next three opponents, Washington, St. Clair, and St. James. They collapsed the Lady Blue Jays when they won the first two sets, 25-23. Washington won the third set, 25-19. Sullivan finished off Washington in the fourth set, 25-20. Brune led the team in kills again with 15 and was followed by Witt with 13. Nolie added another staggering total of 42 assists. Sullivan traveled to St. Clair the next night and were victorious in all three sets, 25-12, 25-13, and 25-21. Brune led in kills again with 15 and was followed by Witt with 13. Nolie tallied 28 more assists. Sullivan continued their dominant force against St. James and swept all three matches, 25-13, 25-6, and 25-12. Brune led the team in kills again with 12. Nolie landed another 23 assists.
Sullivan got their last regular season win against the New Haven Lady Shamrocks. Their last regular season game was an away game. The game went into four sets. New Haven won the first set by only two points, 25-23. Sullivan collapsed the Lady Shamrocks the next three sets, 25-17, 25-12, and 25-13. Brune led in kills again with 15 and was followed by Witt with 13. Nolie led the team in assists with 36. They finished the regular season with a record of 19-12-3.
The Lady Eagles swept Owensville in three sets in the semifinals at home. Sullivan won, 25-15, 25-13, and 25-12. Brune put on another stellar performance with 12 kills. She was followed by Witt with seven. Nolie led the team in assists with 26. The Lady Eagles won the district championship at home against Salem. They defeated the Lady Tigers in four sets to become the Class 3 District 9 champions for the first time since 2018. Sullivan won the first two sets, 25-16 and 25-23. Salem won the third set, 25-18 and Sullivan finished them off in the fourth, 25-14. Brune led in kills with 17 and was followed by Witt with eight. Nolie notched another 34 assists.
Sullivan’s season came to an end against Eldon at sectionals. Their outstanding season ended with a record of 21-13-3. The game went into four sets with an extra tie breaking set. Sullivan won the first set, 25-23. The Lady Mustangs took the second set, 26-24. Sullivan won the third set, 25-14. Eldon claimed the fourth set, 25-17. The Lady Mustangs finished off the Lady Eagles, 15-7. Brune led the team in kills with a staggering 32 and Witt followed with 17. Nolie nailed another 53 assists.
The Lady Eagles had five named to the all-district and all-conference teams. Brune, Nolie and Witt were selected for the all-conference and all-district volleyball teams. Freshman Blankenship and Senior Brooks were also named to the all-district team. Nolie was a standout player all season and was the first Sullivan player to receive all state honors. Nolie played all the Class Three 2022 All-State volleyball team. Nolie notched 165 career aces, 89 single season aces, 650 career service points, 298 single season service points, 1,122 career diggs, 2,333 career assists, and 895 single season assists. Emma Brune was also a standout senior this season and had a record breaking 1,003 career kills. She walked away with 398 single season kills. Anna Brooks was a stellar senior and broke the school record for digs. She tallied 468 single season digs.
