MIDDLE POINT — St. John’s was coming off an emotional volleyball triumph over previously-unbeaten Kalida Saturday when they took on Lincolnview Monday night.
Lady Blue Jay head coach Kaila Cook had her concerns but her team laid them to rest as they swept the Lady Lancers 25-12, 25-19, 25-13 on the court of the new Lancerdome.
“I was a bit concerned with how we’d bounce back after such an emotional win. We didn’t have a practice, either,” Cook explained. “We didn’t have the emotion I’d like us to play with but we did come ready to play. We were cranking out some big hits. We were aggressive for the most part.”
A kill off the Lincolnview block by junior Lindsy Reindel (17 kills; 17 blocks) got the first point for the visitors (7-5) and five service points by senior setter Brittany Miller (26 assists; 6 digs) put them in command. With its height supremacy at the net, the Jays steadily pulled away in the opener. An unreturned dink by senior Ashley Jettinghoff (11 kills) put game 1 in the Jays’ pocket.
Game 2 started out the same way — with Miller serving the first five points. When Jettinghoff put down a kill on an overpass to put the Jays up 12-2 — ending a 7-0 spurt, with six service points from senior Mycalah Jackson (6 digs) — it seemed they were in complete command.
The Lancers (3-10) had other plans. With their trademark defense digging up some Blue Jay bombs and their net players having some success, the hosts rallied within 18-17 on a hitting miscue by the Jays.
A spike off the defense by senior Nicole Wallenhorst (6 kills; 3 blocks) got the ball back for the Jays and they put away the hosts with a closing 7-2 spurt. Reindel capped it off with a bomb to end game 2.
“They could do anything they wanted at the net with their height. We aren’t going to get many blocks or a lot of kills, so we have to depend on our defense,” Lincolnview mentor Rhonda Rank said. “We dug very well. The girls are learning to make in-game adjustments without us telling them, like where their hitters were going.”
Lincolnview had its only lead at 3-1 in game 3 before the Jays got cranked up. A 7-0 span — six on Reindel’s serve — got them rolling and it was only a matter of time. An ace by Kristina Franks on match point finished it off.
“Lincolnview played great defense. There were some shots we really hit hard and they dug them up,” Cook added. “We had to adjust and use more tips just over the blockers; that worked. Every time we’d relax, they’d put some points together. They had some nice servers, too; the balls were really dipping.”
Paige McClure (65-of-65 setting, 11 assists; 9 digs) was the chief Lancer defender. Stacy Giessler (8 digs; 2 aces; 19-of-24 hitting, 5 kills), Calista Dowdy (8 digs; 7-of-7 serving) and Courtney Tunis (7 digs; 18-of-19 hitting, 3 kills) did their best as well.
“They had too much firepower,” Dannenfelser added. “We didn’t have a lot of experience to start the year: one senior and three juniors. We play five sophomores a lot against some good competition, like tonight. We’ve come a long way and we show very good play in short spurts. The focus the second half of the season is on doing it more consistently.”
Hannah Ricker led the Jays’ defense with 20 digs
Both teams are at home in their next match: Lincolnview tonight versus Paulding and St. John’s Thursday against Fort Recovery.
The St. John’s JVs (9-3) swept the Lancers (2-7) 25-13, 25-8.