More often than preferred this season, Platte County saw how one bad set can fuel an opponent’s comeback. The Pirates have slowly built up experience for a roster with multiple newcomers, including some tough lessons in navigating a top-tier schedule.
Platte County freshman Miah Omoike hits a spike against Kearney on Monday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
The payoff might have been evident in Monday’s nonconference victory over Kearney to end a two-match losing skid.
Platte County battled through a difficult second set and pulled away for a seemingly important 25-12, 27-25, 25-13 sweep at Pirate Fieldhouse. The Pirates’ 17-10-1 record includes five losses where they won the opening set but couldn’t sustain momentum.
Against Kearney, Platte County survived a set point in the second and avoided another one of those frustrating outcomes.
“It felt really good to be able to do that,” said Platte County senior outside hitter Karlee Riggs, who finished with five kills, four service aces, three blocks and 12 digs in the win. “I think that we just keep coming up to that hump, and we keep having to face that barrier, and we’re getting better at getting over that. I think that that win in that second set really pushed us and gave us that momentum to dominate more in that third set.”
Only Riggs and junior middle hitters Malin Cole and Emma Macaluso returned from last fall’s playoff team with starting experience for Platte County, which has recorded at least 20 wins in every season since 2017. However, the Pirates have developed a strong identity of potential through that group plus the play of freshman outside hitter Miah Omoike, junior libero Gia Derose and senior setter Sailor Bane and the versatility of senior Ava Moffitt and junior Carissa Bacon.
Platte County junior Malin Cole hits a spike against Kearney on Monday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
Early in the season, Riggs held a majority of Platte County’s offensive responsibility while Omoike sought out consistency as a first-year starter in a big spot.
The changes were evident against Kearney with Cole and Omoike combining for the team lead in kills with 11 each, while Moffitt added seven. Derose continued to lead the Pirates’ defense with a team-high 15 digs in addition to a pair of aces.
“I do feel like I’ve put a lot of pressure on myself this season,” Riggs said, “just because we lost eight seniors last year, and I feel like I was the young one on that team. I was following them a lot last year, and I feel like it’s my turn to step up.”
After Cole’s play at the net dominated the opening set, Kearney led 24-23 in the second set, but Omoike responded with back-to-back kills to keep Platte County’s hopes of a sweep alive. Cole’s spike finished off the 27-25 win on the Pirates’ second set point.
Omoike didn’t have a single attacking error on one of her most efficient night’s during a season that has included eight different matches with double-digit kills.
“Miah has such an aggressive swing, and she’s so good up there for us,” said Riggs, who earned all-state honors as a sophomore and junior. “She’s been a crucial part of our offense for sure.”
Platte County senior Ava Moffitt hits a spike against Kearney on Monday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
Carrying over the momentum, Platte County jumped to leads to 2-0, 3-1, 5-2 and 6-3 in the third set. Bacon then went to the service line and recorded two of her three service aces, while Riggs had her best stretch of the match at the net in a 7-2 run that pushed the advantage to 13-5.
Kearney came no closer than five the rest of the way.
A kill from Moffitt plus Riggs’ final ace put Platte County up 23-13 in what became a match-closing stretch. Despite having only one kill, Bacon had all three of her aces in the third set and finished with at team-high 22 assists as part of the Pirates’ two-setter rotation with Bane (14 assists, eight digs and one ace).
Platte County finished with 11 aces with one for Moffit and two for Derose, an emerging star who had nine service points and 18 successful serve receives with just one error. Macaluso, who took over as a starter midway through her sophomore season, finished with four kills and matched Omoike with two block assists.
“I think that going into our (matches) more recently it’s been more of a don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Let’s just go play, and I think that’s been working better for us,” Riggs said.
Platte County junior Carissa Bacon hits a serve against Kearney on Monday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
The diverse contributions led to a win over Kearney that could have impacted Class 4 District 8 seeding.
Instead, Platte County still ended up with the No. 2 seed behind the Bulldogs (17-10-1) in the nine-team bracket. The Pirates have a pair of Suburban Conference White Division matchups this week to close out the regular season — at Fort Osage on Tuesday and vs. Grain Valley on Thursday — before opening district play against Van Horn (9-13-3) on Thursday, September 24 at Kearney High School.
Semifinals are scheduled for two days later and the championship falls on the following Monday.
Platte County has reached the playoff in three of the past four seasons while advancing to the state semifinals and finishing third in Class 4 twice (2020 and 2022). The Pirates finished as a Class 5 district runnerup in 2021 after bumping up for one year.
Platte County 3, Raytown 0
Riggs (11 kills) plus Moffitt and Omoike (eight kills apiece) led a dominant effort in a 25-14, 25-10, 25-16 victory Tuesday in Raytown.
Six players combined to record 13 service aces — freshman Ella Cruce (three), Bane (three), Riggs (two), Moffitt (two), senior Rylee Pickett (two) and Derose (one) for Platte County. With Bacon out of the lineup, Bane (18 assists) and Cruce (15) rotated at setter, while Riggs led the defense with 10 digs. Derose added nine and Moffitt and Bane seven apiece.
Platte County senior Karlee Riggs hits a spike against Kearney on Monday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
Platte County expanded the lineup with Cole (six), Macaluso (four) and sophomores Kate Brunner (two) and Emma Brinkman (one) rounding out those with kills.
Platte County 3, William Chrisman 0
The Pirates celebrated Riggs, Moffitt, Bane, Pickett and Daphne Churchill with a 25-10, 25-4, 25-15 victory on senior night Thursday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
Each of the five seniors made contributions with Riggs totaling a team-high 16 kills, Bane dishing out 24 assists and Moffitt putting up five kills and leading the Pirates with five service aces and 12 digs. In addition to the starters, Pickett added four service aces in extended action, while Churchill finished with four assists in what could be the next-to-last home match of the season.
Platte County improved to 8-4 in White Division play and has won three straight going into the final week of the regular season. The Pirates entered the season having won five straight conference titles, but Belton has wrapped up this year’s crown.
