CJI Volleyball Opens Season with Sweep of Winifred
By Chad Smith / HLSN Sports
The Chester-Joplin-Inverness Lady Hawks opened the 2026 volleyball season the way they left off a year ago, taking care of business. CJI swept the Winifred Red Raiders in straight sets Saturday evening in the Chester gym, winning 25-14, 25-22, 25-15 to move to 1-0 on the season. The Hawks' JV squad opened the night with a five-set win of its own, making it a clean sweep for both CJI teams on the evening.
The win comes on the heels of a strong preseason for the Hawks, who went 8-2 across two tournaments before Saturday's match play opener, capped by a runner-up finish at the Shelby Class B tournament last weekend. CJI was the only Class C team in that field. So far in this young season it's echoing last year's run, when the Hawks advanced all the way to state before falling in the third round.
Saturday's match also marked the season debut for sophomore Audrey Young, who missed both preseason tournaments. The 6-foot-2 Young, who broke out as a difference maker during last fall's tournament stretch, needed no time to shake off the rust. She finished with 10 kills and five total blocks in her first outing of the year.
Senior Brynn Kammerzell turned in the kind of complete performance that's become the norm for her. The 6-foot-3 Kammerzell finished with 14 kills and 14 digs to go with two assists. Kammerzell has been an all-state volleyball selection every season since her freshman year. She's also a committed Division I basketball player headed to Montana State University in Bozeman, a three-time all-state basketball player, and a two-time Class C high jump state champion.
Junior Scarlet Sundgren was nearly unstoppable when called upon, hitting 5-for-8 with zero errors for a .625 attack percentage. Setter Piper Erickson kept the offense humming with 29 assists on the night, and the libero tandem of Mercedes Riggin and Kyra Anderson steadied the back row, combining for 10 digs and three aces while serving at 94.1 percent.
As a team, CJI had 36 kills on 115 attempts, served six aces, and racked up 62 digs. Head coach Jordan Miller said the team is coming together well in the early season play and is excited to see what this group can accomplish, pointing to the mix of returning depth and new talent that moved up from last year's JV squad as a big part of the potential.
CJI opens its conference schedule at home Thursday, Sept. 10, hosting Simms, before hitting the road for a busy weekend. The Hawks travel to Rudyard for a non-conference match against North Star on Friday, Sept. 11, part of the Knights' homecoming festivities, then resume conference play Saturday, Sept. 12, at Augusta.
View more JV and Varsity action photos here: https://gallery.chadsmith.photography/?r=55862d
