By MATT PIKE
The Savannah volleyball team has had a tough slate to open the 2026 season, and survived another tough fight in the teams first home match beating East Buchanan in a five set thriller.
The Savages briefly let the Bulldogs tie the first set before pulling away and claiming the opener 25-23. East Buchanan answered, winning the second set 25-21, and then made the third set interesting storming back from as many as nine down to get with one point before Savannah won, once again 25-23. The Bulldogs held a dominating lead in the fourth set, before losing momentum after a Savannah timeout, but still held on, also claiming set four by the same score as set two, 25-21, setting up a winner take all set five. In the fifth, the Savages pulled away from East Buchanan, ultimately claiming a 15-10 victory.
It hasn't been easy for Savannah to open the 2026 season, after losing to Bishop LeBlond and splitting with both Central and Benton in the St. Joseph City Jamboree, the Savages fell to Raymore-Peculiar, a Class 5 team that fell last season in the Class 5 tournament to the eventual runner up, and to currently undefeated St. Pius X, while defeating Seckman and Central in the Pony Express Girls State High School Volleyball Preview Tournament at Civic Arena.
Head Coach MIranda Mizera says she like having a tough schedule to start the season, and when scheduling it's something she works to do on purpose.
"They really want to challenge us early, and my philosophy is it's good to get early losses so we kind of know where to refine those edges and make some improvements," Mizera tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "But yeah, we love playing schools that are bigger than us, teams that are better than us, especially early on in the season, I really try to push our goals to rise to the occasion."
Savannah will play at St. Joseph Christian on Thursday. East Buchanan will host their first home game of the season in Gower on Thursday, welcoming in the Maryville Spoofhounds.
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