OWENSVILLE — Bring medals and hardware back to northern Gasconade County.

That was the goal throughout the day Saturday for Phil Landolt’s Hermann Middle School (HMS) 8th Grade Lady Bearcat volleyball team during the annual Owensville 8th Grade Girls Volleyball Tournament at Owensville High School.

Going 7-1 in pool play with sweeps of Steelville, St. Clair and Union in addition to a split with Pacific, Hermann advanced to bracket play and the semifinals against Sullivan.

Swept in two sets by Sullivan 28-26 and 25-18, Landolt’s Lady Bearcats were sent to the third-place match and a rematch with St. Clair’s Lady Bulldogs.

Falling in two sets 25-21 and 25-14, the Lady Bearcats settled for fourth-place medals from Owensville.

Down 16-9 midway through game one of the third-place match, Charlee Englert served five points in a row trimming the deficit to 16-15 before Averi Elsenraat served up two points giving Hermann an 18-17 lead.

Unable to overcome numerous errors in the closing moments of game one, Hermann was now looking ahead to taking game two to force a third set.

Falling behind 15-6 midway through game two, Hermann managed to get three late service points from Tenley McFadden before dropping game two and the match to St. Clair.

During bracket semifinal action against Sullivan, Reagan Kahler served three aces late in game one giving them a 25-24 lead before dropping a tough first set.

McFadden also served six points for the Lady Bearcats against Sullivan in game one.

Falling behind 6-0 in game two, Englert racked up seven straight service points giving Hermann an 11-8 lead near the midway point of game two.

After three Elsenraat service points gave Hermann a 15-9 lead, Sullivan scored 16 of the next 19 points to take game two and the match.

Opening the tournament with a sweep of Steelville in identical scores of 25-20 during each game, McFadden served up three aces while Lizzy Veal recorded a team-high two kills in game one.

Englert served five straight point helping Hermann to a 10-7 lead in game two before two more McFadden aces later in game two helped the Lady Bearcats keep the lead for good.

Taking game one 25-20 against Pacific before dropping game two 25-17 against the Lady Indians, Englert had three kills and three aces for Hermann in game one.

Game two saw Kahler record a pair of service points before Pacific scored six points in a row late in game two.

Sweeping St. Clair 25-17 and 27-25, Veal served five aces before McFadden chipped in two more aces helping Hermann secure game one.

Two aces apiece from Veal and McFadden kept Hermann in front before two service points from Kahler helped the Lady Bearcats secure the sweep of the Lady Bulldogs.

Taking both sets from Union 25-20 and 25-15, Kahler served the final 13 points of game one helping Hermann rally from a 20-12 deficit.

She then went on to serve eight consecutive points early in game two before two McFadden aces helped seal the deal on Hermann’s sweep of Union.

HMS Lady Bearcat volleyball will return to action tomorrow (Thursday) night on the road in Chamois with a 5:30 p.m., start time before Landolt’s 8th grade squad ventures to Belle High School Saturday morning for the annual Bland ‘A’ Team Tournament beginning at 9 a.m.