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<p>St. Dominic and Helias are headed to the Class 4 championship after winning semifinal matches with very different rhythms. St. Dominic edged Summit in four tight sets, while undefeated Helias swept Smithville to keep its bid for a second straight title alive.</p>
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<p><strong>St. Dominic 3, Summit 1</strong></p>
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<p>St. Dominic held off Summit, 27-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23. Summit led in hitting percentage (.149 to .120), digs (89-76), and blocks (8-6), but St. Dominic's serving made the difference, with a 12-7 ace advantage. The Crusaders also came through in crucial moments, leaning on their outside hitters, who combined for 34 kills.</p>
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<p><strong>Shelby Knittel — St. Dominic</strong></p>
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<p> Knittel led the Crusaders with 19 kills on .256 hitting, adding four digs and a block. A favorite target of St. Dominic's setters, she delivered key kills in every set.</p>
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<p><strong>Charlotte Bland — St. Dominic</strong></p>
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<p> In her first Final Four appearance, Bland came close to a triple-double, recording eight kills, 40 assists, 18 digs, three aces, and four blocks. The match MVP made impact plays on defense, set smartly, and did a strong job choosing when and where to distribute the ball.</p>
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<p><strong>Caroline Cornett — St. Dominic</strong></p>
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<p>The 5-foot-9 middle led all players in hitting percentage, finishing at .412 with eight kills and just one error. She also added four blocks and four digs. A key touch from Cornett in the fourth set helped keep a rally alive and set up a Crusaders kill.</p>
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<p><strong>MacKenzie Pancer — Summit</strong></p>
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<p>The 2029 libero led the match with 38 digs, repeatedly keeping Summit in rallies. Pancer was especially effective in pressure moments, tracking down balls when the points mattered most.</p>
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<p><strong>Jayla Williams — Summit</strong></p>
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<p>Williams finished with 11 kills on .286 hitting and four blocks. She found her rhythm after the second set, recording seven kills on 14 attempts. Getting her more opportunities could be important for Summit as it plays for third place.</p>
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<p><strong>Helias 3, Smithville 0</strong></p>
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<p>Undefeated Helias opened with a 25-21 win, then held off Smithville's comeback efforts in the next two sets, 25-20 and 25-23. The Crusaders will play for their second consecutive title.</p>
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<p><strong>Emma Hulsey — Helias</strong></p>
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<p> Hulsey led Helias with 10 kills on .391 hitting, along with three blocks and two digs. Though undersized at middle, she uses her vertical, volleyball IQ, and ability to find openings in the defense to make a big impact. She was also among the top players at last year's Final Four.</p>
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<p><strong>Julia Buffington — Helias</strong></p>
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<p>The 6-foot-1, 2030 outside hitter finished with nine kills, a block, and a dig. Buffington showed she's willing to take big swings in crucial moments, offering a glimpse of what Helias can expect from her in the seasons ahead.</p>
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<p><strong>Alyssa Scherr — Helias</strong></p>
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<p>Scherr ran the Helias offense with poise, distributing 30 assists among five hitters and finishing one dig short of a double-double. Her ability to put hitters in favorable positions earned her match MVP honors. After winning a Class 3 title last year, she'll now look to lead Helias to a Class 4 championship.</p>
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<p><strong>Nora Lock — Helias</strong></p>
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<p>The left-handed opposite produced eight kills and 12 digs, along with two blocks. Despite facing Smithville's imposing block, Lock took confident swings at key moments, using sharp cross-court shots and hard-driven line shots to score.</p>
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<p><strong>Jaycee Tyrrell — Smithville</strong></p>
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<p>The 6-foot outside hitter led the Warriors with 11 kills on .296 hitting, adding two aces and seven digs. Tyrrell showed why she's a powerful attacker, using the block to her advantage and delivering big swings when Smithville needed them.</p>
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St. Dominic and Helias are headed to the Class 4 championship after winning semifinal matches with very different rhythms. St. Dominic edged Summit in four tight sets, while undefeated Helias swept Smithville to keep its bid for a second straight title alive.
St. Dominic 3, Summit 1 St. Dominic held off Summit, 27-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23. Summit led in hitting percentage (.149 to .120), digs (89-76), and blocks (8-6), but St. Dominic's serving made the difference, with a 12-7 ace advantage. The Crusaders also came through in crucial moments, leaning on their outside hitters, who combined for 34 kills. Shelby Knittel — St. Dominic Knittel led the Crusaders with 19 kills on .256 hitting, adding four digs and a block. A favorite target of St. Dominic's setters, she delivered key kills in every set. Charlotte Bland — St. Dominic In her first Final Four appearance, Bland came close to a triple-double, recording eight kills, 40 assists, 18 digs, three aces, and four blocks. The match MVP made impact plays on defense, set…
