Were this year’s volleyball teams from HLV and Montezuma evenly-matched or what?
For the third time this season, they had to play a fifth set tiebreaker to determine the outcome. And this result was the same as the other two: A 3-2 Bravettes victory.
This time, it meant the end of the season for HLV, and another match for Montezuma.
Scores on this Wednesday evening, Oct. 21 regional quarterfinal match in Montezuma for the Bravettes were 24-26, 26-24, 25-19, 19-25, and 15-9.
For about 90 breathless, riveting minutes, the girls on both teams made us forget about hateful politics and put won’t quit COVID on the far back burner.
“This was a fun night of high school athletics,” said Tim Burgess, who is Montezuma’s head coach and activities director. “It’s the type of night kids work toward and want during those long hours in the gym and training.”
Montezuma moves on to the regional semifinal round Monday, Oct. 26, in Belle Plaine. And the Bravettes will take on Belle Plaine, which had to hit the afterburners to get past Central City, also in five sets – and also 15-9 in the fifth set.
Rarely did one team in the Montezuma-HLV battle lead the other by more than four points.
It was difficult for either side to sink a fork into the other. Long runs of points were hard to come by.
Shanae Wetering had 20 kills and two aces for Montezuma, while Ash Krousie had 18 kills and Dylan Holland had 10.
Unofficially, Karlee Timm had 16 kills and two blocks in her final high school match for HLV. Kayla Jack had a dozen kills and three aces. Olivia Van Waus had seven kills.
Montezuma led in kills. The teams were pretty even in other areas, including ace serves and service errors, which happened, but pretty much canceled each other out.
“I knew HLV would bring their best and they did,” Burgess said. “I also knew how badly our girls wanted this match as well. It shaped up for a classic battle until the end.”
Wetering was 16-for-17 serving, with two aces. Krousie led Montezuma with 13 digs.
Setter Katie Reynolds was steady with 39 assists, seven digs, and she went 19-for-20 on serves with one ace.
“HLV has an excellent program and they are well-coached,” Burgess said.
“However, we felt heading into the match that we had been working hard to improve in areas that we have been inconsistent with. There were times we showed our improvement,and there were moments we still were inconsistent.”
The Bravettes looked like they might close out HLV in four sets when they battled from behind to tie it at 19-19. But then a Timm-led Warriors team ran the last six points to force the fifth set.
The fifth set was tied 7-7 before Montezuma closed the match with an 8-2 run.
Montezuma moves to 14-6 on the season.
HLV closed at 13-10.
“I’m proud of how these kids have responded the last five weeks,” said Burgess, who took over the head coaching duties at mid-season. “One thing I know for certain: This group of young ladies will leave it all on the court Monday night.”
AT BELLE PLAINE – The Plainsmen, 24-8 coming in, won the first two sets over Central City, but Central City (13-12), won the next two to force the fifth and decisive set.
Monday’s match starts at 7 p.m.
Stats vs. HLV
Kills – Shanae Wetering 20, Ash Krousie 18, Dylan Holland 10, Korrinn Kehoe 4, Katie Reynolds 3.
Assists – Reynolds 39, Holland 1, Kierstyn Price 1.
Blocks – Kehoe 3, Allyson Larmore 2.
Digs – Krousie 13, Reynolds 7, Larmore 5, Price 3, Wetering 2, Kehoe 2.
Serves – Krousie 21-26, Reynolds 19-20 with one ace; Wetering 16-17 with two aces; Kehoe 15-16 with one ace; Larmore 10-14, Holland 9-9 with two aces; Price 10-11 with one ace.
