Buffington, Dixon take part in all-star match

Louisburg seniors Carson Buffington (left) and Anna Dixon share a quick laugh during the small class match of the GKCVCA All-Star Match on Nov. 18 at Avila University.

Louisburg seniors Carson Buffington and Anna Dixon thought their days of playing volleyball together were over following the Lady Cats’ loss to Bishop Miege in the Class 4A state championship match last month.

It was difficult moment for both players to comprehend as they have played on the Lady Cat varsity team together the last three seasons and their final match ended in defeat.

Instead, both girls received one more opportunity to take the court together one last time on Nov. 18 when they were chosen to participate in the 22^nd Annual Greater Kansas City Volleyball Coaches Association MO-KAN All-Star Match.

Dixon and Buffington were selected to represent team Kansas in the small-class match at Avila University following their good performance in the 2018 season.

Carson Buffington records a kill during the small-class all-star match at Avila.

“It was really enjoyable, especially coming after state where Carson and I thought it was going to be the last time playing with each other,” Dixon said. “But having one more match with her, and with a lot of these other girls that we have been playing with since middle school, it was pretty fun.”

The result didn’t go as the two would have hoped. Kansas took the first set 25-20, but Missouri bounced back to win the match 25-20 and 25-21.

Despite the loss, it was a still a great experience for both as they got a chance to team up with some of the best players in the Kansas City area.

“It felt good to get back out there one last time, even though I didn’t know many of the girls,” Buffington said. “It was still fun and it was a great opportunity. I was just really honored to be picked for this. It was pretty cool and it was great to be out there and joke around with Anna again.”

Dixon provided Kansas with a spark in the first set with three kills and a block and she played all six rotations for much of the match. Buffington, who played as a right side hitter, also registered a pair of kills in the second set.

Senior Anna Dixon sends a shot over the net during the GKCVCA All-Star Match on Nov. 18.

Team Kansas was coached by Kathleen Rush, the head coach of Bishop Miege, and she ran a practice the day before the match to help the girls get acclimated to each other.

“Practice was a little rough and there were times where I felt like I haven’t ever touched a volleyball before, but at the end I felt a lot more confident,” Buffington said. “Then in the game I got a chance to talk to the girls and get to know them a little bit. It was a good experience.”

Dixon agreed, as she came up against foes that she has competed against over the last several years from both sides of the state line.

“There were a lot of great athletes, especially ones that I have come up against during the club season, so it was fun to play with and against a lot of them,” she said.