photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State celebrates a point in a 3-1 win over Lawrence at Free State High School on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, in Lawrence.

Free State’s volleyball team took a moment to compose themselves after losing the second set of Thursday’s City Showdown against Lawrence.

“We got ahead of ourselves,” junior middle blocker Anniston Clark said. “We came in confident and we let it slip away, but what we said in the huddle was, ‘this isn’t us. Let’s reset, refocus and play how we play.’ That really helped us do what we needed to do.

“It came down to wanting it more, and that’s what we did.”

After that, the Firebirds left no doubt. They won the final two sets 50-18 to win the City Showdown against Lawrence three sets to one.

“It’s always good when you can find ways of raising the standard,” Free State coach Jayme Savage said. “Obviously for the season we have a lot of goals and a lot of veteran returners, and so our eyes are on the prize of returning to state, and this is one step closer to doing that.”

The match was a battle as the Lions brought a road crowd that brought a lot of energy and noise, on top of the game already being a rivalry matchup against a team in Lawrence that came in hungry and ready to topple Free State. Savage was happy with how the team responded throughout the game in the environment.

“We talk a lot about mental toughness and resetting our brain to have that ‘next-ball-mentality,'” Savage said. “This group does a good job of relying on each other for those cues, and it showed up tonight.”

The first two sets were a close back-and-forth affair, and the Lions gave the Firebirds a run for their money. Free State scored the first few points, but Lawrence tied the game at 5-5 before taking an 11-8 lead. The Firebirds took the lead back with some strong hitting from senior Annika Lintecum and Clark.

After a 15-15 tie, the Lions rattled off three-straight points, which included an impressive block from junior outside hitter Rael Simien. That forced Free State to call the first timeout of the game and to reset.

The Firebirds did just that, tying the game at 19-19 and then scoring six of the next seven points to win 25-20.

Lawrence immediately rallied from the loss and started 3-0 in the second set. Sophomore setter Libby English started with an ace and sophomore opposite hitter Macy Saunders continued to show the Lions’ blocking skills with a block of her own.

Free State tied it back up at 7-7, but the Lions went on a 6-1 run to force a Free State timeout with the Lions up 13-8. The Firebirds tied things back up at 18-18, but the Lions won the execution battle late in the set. Senior libero Selah Simien came up big late in the set with strong serving and hitting. An ace from Rael Simien gave the Lions a 23-20 lead and led to Free State calling a second timeout.

Both teams scored twice over the next four plays, but the Lawrence lead lifted the Lions to a 25-22 win in the second set.

Free State spent the next three minutes between sets wisely. The calming pep talk the team had together brought everyone to a level head and led to an offensive explosion in the next set.

The Firebirds scored the first five points before building a 12-4 lead and forcing the Lions to call timeout. Free State kept on the attack and finished with a 13-2 run that gave the Firebirds a 25-6 win in the set and a 2-1 lead in the match.

“One of the things we talk about is not doing too much and being disciplined in our roles,” Savage said. “That’s enough, and when we do that, we’re pretty tough to beat.”

The momentum stayed for the fourth set, as the Firebirds started on a 7-3 run that included an ace from Clark. Lawrence battled back but Free State kept the pressure up and took a 10-point lead at 17-7 after kills from sophomore middle blocker Marlea Copeland and Clark.

Lawrence called a timeout down 20-11 after showing some fight and preventing Free State from building on the momentum, but the Firebirds closed out strong and went on a 5-1 run to win the game, including an ace from freshman defensive specialist Brinley Whitney and game-winning point from junior setter Tessa Nover-Estes.

The win came at a good time for the Firebirds. The team had run into a midseason skid and lost three games in a row but has bounced back and is now on a two-game win streak.

“This game was really important for us, especially timing wise,” Lintecum said. “We’ve been on a downhill run right now, so this game can really help us bounce back up and can reunite us as a team.”

With four games left, the Firebirds still have tough competition to face before postseason, starting with Mill Valley on the road on Tuesday.

“I want to see them continue to raise the standard,” Savage said. “I want to see consistency across the board, I want to see early leads in the beginning and work to improve on weaknesses so we’re ready for postseason play.”

For Lawrence, the Lions have continued to improve and won two of their last five games. The Lions will also have a daunting end-of-season schedule to go through, starting with Olathe East on the road on Tuesday.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence senior setter Nyah Everhart shouts in celebration after a point in a 3-1 loss to Free State at Free State High School on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, in Lawrence.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State freshman defensive specialist Brinley Whitney, middle, prepares for a serve in a 3-1 win over Lawrence at Free State High School on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, in Lawrence.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence senior libero Selah Simien starts her serve in a 3-1 loss to Free State at Free State High School on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, in Lawrence.