ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The Stephens Stars left everything on the court in the AMC Semifinals on Friday night but fell to Columbia College in a hard-fought match, 23-25, 17-25, 27-29, at the Carl & Deloris Petty SRC. 

The loss marked the end of a spirited season for the Stars, who finished 16-16 overall and 9-2 in conference play.

In the first set, Stephens came out strong, leaning on the precision of setter Emma Whitson, who tallied 23 assists. Amari Branch-Autman made her presence felt with a thunderous kill midway through the set to bring the Stars within one at 18-17. 

Despite an intense rally, The Cougar's balanced attack from the right side gave them a slight edge to close the set.

The second set saw Stephens struggle to match Columbia's efficiency. A highlight moment came when senior Rylee Collins fired a kill off a perfectly placed assist from Whitson, igniting a short-lived rally. 

Columbia's front row, however, proved to be impenetrable, forcing errors and keeping the Stars' offense in check to take the set 17-25.

The third set was a showcase of resilience from the Stars. With the bench energy soaring, Jamie Russell's clutch service ace forced Columbia into a substitution and subsequent timeout. 

The Stars built a commanding 22-14 lead, only to see Columbia claw back with a 10-point run. 

Tied at 27-27, Branch-Autman delivered a critical kill to keep Stephens alive, but the Cougars sealed the match with back-to-back points.

"It was a hard-fought match," said head coach Maggie Hans. "The effort and heart were there, but credit to Columbia for making the plays when it mattered most. We will miss the four seniors who made a huge contribution to the team this season." 

Stephens' season concludes as the Stars prepare to graduate seniors Izzy Benson, Rylee Collins, Jamie Russell, and Bree Zimmerman in the spring. Building on their consistent accomplishments in 2024, the team looks ahead to continued growth and success in the upcoming season.