Top Seeds Go Undefeated on First Day of Bellevue Invitational

BELLEVUE - There were a few minor upsets and a few moments where major upsets looked possible on the first day of the Bellevue Invitational on Friday, but ultimately all four of the top seeds went undefeated.

In Pool A, three-time defending Class A champion Omaha Marian rolled to a 25-10, 25-10 win over Bellevue East, but then got upended 25-16 in the first set of its match against #7 Lincoln Southeast. Marian, however, responded by riding the arms of sophomore outside hitters Emily Bressman and Hailey Zuroske to take the next two sets 25-15, 25-12. Bressman finished with nine kills in the match and Zuroske had eight. Marian finished pool play with a 25-16, 25-20 win over Sioux City Heelan to cap an undefeated day and increase its state-best winning streak to 40 consecutive matches. Southeast also advanced to the championship bracket thanks in large part to a 25-21, 19-25, 25-13 win over Heelan.

Pool B was a swift-moving court with all six matches being sweeps, led by Class B #1 Omaha Skutt rolling to a 3-0 day with wins over Omaha Burke, Omaha Westside and North Platte. Only Westside managed to top the 15-point mark against the Skyhawks in a 25-11, 25-21 loss. Westside knocked off Class A #10 North Platte 25-17, 25-20 in a mild upset to advance to the championship bracket as well.

Papillion-LaVista, the #2 team in Class A, got through Pool C without much fretting with wins over Lincoln Northeast (25-16, 25-20), #8 Millard South (25-14, 25-11) and #5 Millard North (25-14, 25-14). Millard North also advanced to the championship bracket, but Lincoln Northeast made the Mustangs work for it with the Mustangs winning 25-16, 22-25, 25-17.

In Pool D, #4 Papillion-LaVista South got a scare similar to that of Omaha Marian. After the Titans took a 25-12, 25-12 win over Lincoln East in its first match, Bellevue West handled Papillion-LaVista South 25-15 in the first set of their match. The Titans, just like Omaha Marian, responded strongly by winning the next two sets 25-11, 25-14. In probably the best-played match of the day, Papillion-LaVista South capped an undefeated day by taking a 25-23, 28-26 victory over Iowa small-school power Western Christian. The team from Hull, IA, scored earlier wins over Lincoln East and Bellevue West to also reach the championship bracket.

Below are all the scores from the first day of the Bellevue Invitational followed by the bracket schedule for Saturday.

Friday's Results

Pool A

Omaha Marian def. Bellevue East 25-10, 25-10
Lincoln Southeast def. Sioux City Heelan 25-21, 19-25, 25-13
Omaha Marian def. Lincoln Southeast 16-25, 25-15, 25-12
Sioux City Heelan def. Bellevue East 25-16, 25-16
Omaha Marian def. Sioux City Heelan 25-16, 25-20
Lincoln Southeast def. Bellevue East 25-14, 25-12

Pool B

Omaha Skutt def. Omaha Burke 25-7, 25-12
Omaha Westside def. North Platte 25-17, 25-20
Omaha Skutt def. Omaha Westside 25-11, 25-21
North Platte def. Omaha Burke 26-24, 25-23
Omaha Skutt def. North Platte 25-15, 25-10
Omaha Westside def. Omaha Burke 25-22, 25-20

Pool C

Papillion-LaVista def. Lincoln Northeast 25-16, 25-20
Millard North def. Millard South 25-19, 25-12
Papillion-LaVista def. Millard South 25-14, 25-11
Millard North def. Lincoln Northeast 25-16, 22-25, 25-17
Papillion-LaVista def. Millard North 25-14, 25-14
Lincoln Northeast def. Millard South 27-25, 18-25, 25-20

Pool D

Papillion-LaVista South def. Lincoln East 25-12, 25-12
Western Christian def. Bellevue West 25-13, 25-21
Papillion-LaVista South def. Bellevue West 15-25, 25-11, 25-14
Western Christian def. Lincoln East 25-8, 24-26, 25-16
Papillion-LaVista South def. Western Christian 25-23, 28-26
Bellevue West def. Lincoln East 25-15, 23-25, 25-23

Saturday's Bracket Schedule

Championship Bracket

9 a.m. - Omaha Marian vs. Millard North
10 a.m. - Papillion-LaVista South vs. Omaha Westside
9 a.m. - Papillion-LaVista vs. Lincoln Southeast
10 a.m. - Omaha Skutt vs. Western Christian

Noon - Marian/Millard North winner vs. Papio South/Westside winner
Noon - Papio/Lincoln SE winner vs. Skutt/Western Christian winner

2 p.m. - Championship

Consolation Bracket

9 a.m. - Sioux City Heelan vs. Millard South
10 a.m. - Bellevue West vs. Omaha Burke
9 a.m. - Lincoln Northeast vs. Bellevue East
10 a.m. - North Platte vs. Lincoln East

Noon - Heelan/Millard South winner vs. Bellevue West/Burke winner
Noon - Lincoln NE/Bellevue East winner vs. North Platte/Lincoln East winner

2 p..m. - Championship