The Hazelwood West Wildcats will take on the Liberty Eagles in a tournament on Saturday. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this match.
Last Thursday, Hazelwood West came up short against Clayton and fell 3-1. The defeat continues a trend for the Wildcats in their meetings with the Greyhounds: they've now lost three in a row.
Hazelwood West started the match hot and won the first set, but they struggled down the stretch and lost the last three. The match finished with set scores of 23-25, 25-20, 25-15, 25-23.
Meanwhile, Liberty faced Howell North in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Thursday. The Eagles lost 3-0 to the Knights. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest loss the Eagles have suffered since May 6, 2024.
While Liberty ultimately came up short, they really made Howell North work, particularly in the first set. The final score came out to 28-26, 25-22, 25-11.
Hazelwood West will have to contain Logan Hinds as he made an impact in Liberty's last game. He had 23 assists and six digs. Jake Meyer also deserves some recognition as he had his first block of the season.
Liberty has traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-4 record this season. As for Hazelwood West, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-7.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Saturday's contest: Hazelwood West has really dialed in their serving this season, having averaged 9.1 aces per game. However, it's not like Liberty struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5 aces. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
