VOLLEYBALL UPDATE: BARTLESVILLE AND WCS; DEWEY CLOSE TO HISTORIC SEASON
Bartlesville High School head volleyball coach Andrew Blain reacts during an earlier season game. Bartlesville travels to Muskogee on Tuesday. Next up is regionals.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Dewey High School head volleyball coach Hayley Harris reacts Monday evening during the Lady Bulldoggers’ senior night. Dewey defeated Salina.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
Oct. 7, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Following are updates for area high school volleyball teams.
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BARTLESVILLE
Consider this: Coming off last year’s historic 30-9 record, the Bartlesville High School volleyball team graduated one of the elite hitters in its history — perhaps it's all-time kills leader — in Emry Brown and other vital components including muscular four-year setter Hayden Brandon, energetic defensive specialist Mads Hyde, its powerful starting middle front rotation of Rya Christensen and Marissa Demuth and versatile weapon Camille Elkan.
That adds up to six vital assets. And considering a volleyball side consists of six players, that’s a pretty significant drain of talent, skill, athleticism and experience.
No wonder most observers thought second-year head coach Andrew Blain faced a major rebuilding project heading into the 2025 season.
Competitive success seemed out of the question. A winning record seemed a long shot.
But 34 matches into the 2025 season the Lady Bruins own a healthy 18-16 record and have to be considered a potential dark horse heading into the Class 6A regionals.
Even if he coaches another 30 years, this season might be Blain’s finest work in terms of stitching together several threads of limited varsity experience and diverse skill sets into a gritty quilt of cohesiveness.
The old sports cliche is getting it done by committee.
Only that reference is not too ancient when it comes to the key of the Lady Bruin success.
The Lady Bruins have helped fill the void left by Brown, Demuth and Christensen with six girls that will wind up with more than 100 kills by the time this season is done.
The list — and their number of kills — include: Mia Johnson (290), Ellie Benson (189), Sarah Federico (111), Avery Matney (107), Aisley Keirsey (104) and Terrin Barclay (92).
Federico’s number is especially impressive, as she’s missed a large chunk of the season with injury.
For those without a calculator within reach that adds up to 803 kills by “committee” — and it doesn’t count the kills amassed by other hitters.
Tying together the back row play is veteran Sophie Frye at libero. She has recorded 396 digs and should go well past 400.
Emma Parsley — who split setting duties the past few years with Brandon — and handed out an eye-raising 445 assists. Other prolific setters are Lyndee Revard (245) and Claire Barta (96).
Bartlesville High School’s Ava Smith (32) dives for a ball during an earlier season game. Bartlesville travels to Muskogee on Tuesday. Next up is regionals.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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“I’m really proud of how diverse we are,” Blain summarized.
It’s been a bit of a roller-coaster ride for the Lady Bruins — they surged to a 13-5 record in their first 18 matches, but recorded a 5-11 mark the next 16 matches.
They currently are on a four-match losing streak — but those setbacks have come against a grueling gauntlet — including three teams ranked in the top five in their classes.
But Blain believes the rugged challenges have made the Lady Bruins stronger.
“I think this hard stretch has been good for us as far as preparing for what’s coming (regionals),” Blain said. “Now we’ve seen and gone toe-to-toe with some of the tougher teams. We’re excited to see what we can do.”
Bartlesville travels Tuesday to Muskogee to close out the regular season.
Next up after that will be the regionals. Bartlesville will be on the road.
The Lady Bruins will be trying to qualify for the state volleyball tournament for the first time since 2010.
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Dewey High School’s CJ Jones reacts during Monday’s senior night. The Lady Bulldoggers defeated Salina and host regionals on Thursday.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Dewey High School volleyball players hug following their final regular season game and senior night on Monday. The Lady Bulldoggers defeated Salina and host regionals on Thursday.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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DEWEY
Dewey is in the final phase of an historic season — a phase that hopefully will carry the Lady Doggers into the state tourney.
Going into this week, Dewey opened a 20-7 record — one of the few times, if ever, the program has recorded a 20-win season.
Even better than that, Dewey already has been picked to host a Class 3A regional tournament, which is set for this Thursday (October 9).
“It’s been 19 years since we hosted a regional,” said Dewey head coach Hayley Harris.
Harris’ squad has avoided any major losing stretches this season. The Lady Doggers have never lost more than two matches in a row.
They reached the 20-win milestone with a home win last week against Oklahoma Union, 3-1 (25-15, 21-25, 26-24, 25-13).
But on Thursday, Wesleyan Christian School surprised Dewey, 3-0.
“We just had an off-night,” Harris said.
Dewey is led by a handful of battle-tested veterans including the irrepressible Camrin “C.J.” Jones.
“Anytime we set her the ball, she’ll make 9-out-of-10 kills,” Harris said.
Callie Posch is another force at the net. Harris recalled her getting three back-to-back blocks during recent action.
“She’s phenomenal on the front for blocks,” Harris said.
Neveah Straley also excels on blocks and as a right-side attacker, the coach added.
On Monday, the Lady Bulldoggers celebrated senior night with a win over Salina.
On Thursday, five teams will invade for the regional — Oklahoma Union, Westville, Regent Bible, Tahlequah-Sequoyah and Corn Bible.
Dewey will receive a first-round bye. It will face either Westville or Oklahoma Union in a 2 p.m. semifinal.
Corn Bible will get the other bye and meet Regent Prep or Tahlequah-Sequoyah in the other semifinal.
The championship match is set for Thursday evening, with the winner advancing to state.
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A Wesleyan Christian School volleyball player sends one over the net during an earlier season game. The Lady Mustangs travel to Holland Hall on Thursday for regionals.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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WESLEYAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
The Lady Mustangs charged into this week on the momentum of back-to-back wins and a winning record.
WCS (16-12) — which is coached by Mariah Cooks — took down Claremore Christian, 3-1 (25-11, 25-12, 20-25, 25-12) and Dewey, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-20) last week.
Next up, the Lady Mustangs will travel to Holland Hall for a seven-team regional.
They will take on Millwood at 11:30 a.m. Thursday.
If WCS were to win, it would play either Okay or Salina in the semifinals.
The regional finals are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday. The winner advances to state.
WCS has come on strong since latter August, putting together a 11-7 record, including a five-match winning streak.