Emporia ? Free State’s volleyball team placed fourth and Lawrence High sixth at Saturday’s Emporia Invitational.

Free State fell to SM Northwest, 21-25, 26-28 in the third-place match. Also, Free State defeated Topeka West, 25-11, 25-13, and Topeka Seaman, 25-17, 25-11, but lost to SM Northwest, 21-25, 18-25, and Overland Park Miege,13-25, 11-25.

“They looked really good in the first two matches. After that, they didn’t play very well. They went 2-3 for the day,” Free State coach Nancy Hopkins said of her 22-12 Firebirds. “We have 12 losses, and three of them are to Miege, and four of them are to Shawnee Mission Northwest.”

LHS lost to Blue Valley West, 25-16, 20-25, 22-25; Miege 17-25, 24-26; and BV West 25-23, 18-25, 20-25; and defeated Highland Park, 25-17, 25-19; and Maize, 18-25, 25-22, 25-12.

“Abby Schwartz had her best tournament of year. She did a fantastic job hitting, passing and playing defense,” coach Jo Huntsinger said. “Carolyn Raynes had an exceptional tournament in all aspects of the game. She set very well for us.”