BELLE PLAINE – Will knowledge gained in a volleyball loss to Belle Plaine help the Bravettes to get better?
We’ll find out, and soon.
“How we respond after tonight will determine the length of the rest of this season,” Montezuma’s coaches said in their post-match statement after Belle Plaine’s 3-1 victory on Thursday, Oct. 8.
Scores for Belle Plaine were 25-13, 19-25, 25-15 and 25-20.
“It was a tremendous night of volleyball!” the coaches said. “The Bravettes competed so hard and there were so many close plays.”
Close counts in horseshoe pitching and hand grenades, but not volleyball.
Belle Plaine (18-6) blew up Montezuma’s seven-match winning streak. It was the first loss for the Bravettes to a South Iowa Cedar League opponent.
It didn’t cost Montezuma (9-5) a chance at the league title, however. That will be determined in the SICL tournament – which starts Monday afternoon.
Belle Plaine was rated 12th in last week’s Class 1A poll but fell out of the top 15 this week. “We knew they were a great program,” Montezuma’s coaches said. “That’s why we reached out to play them.”
The Plainsmen, who had beaten Sigourney earlier in the evening, handled the Bravettes 25-13 in the first set. Montezuma got off the deck and returned the favor, 25-19, to knot the match at 1-1.
After that, it was an often back-and-forth battle.
“We just need to clean up some little things that gave them free points,” the coaches said. “That’s what practice is for.”
“This is about getting ready for the final push of the season,” the coaches’ statement said. “We are proud of what the girls have accomplished, but not satisfied.”
Ash Krousie had 16 kills and 10 digs for the Bravettes.
Katie Reynolds had all 31 of Montezuma’s assists. The Bravettes had a killing efficiency rate of .252, which isn’t bad. But, they were around 85 percent in serving, which is on the low side for them.
“There have been great life lessons taught on the court this season,” the coaches said. “We control what we choose to control.”
“We’re proud of the position the girls have put themselves in headed into next week.”
UP NEXT – English Valleys will play Lynnville-Sully Monday afternoon in Montezuma in the opening round of SICL tournament play. The winner will play the Bravettes after that, probably in the vicinity of 6:30 p.m. The tourney will continue on Thursday.
ALSO COMING – On Tuesday, a rescheduled regular season match at Tri-County.
Stats vs. Belle Plaine
Kills – Ash Krousie 16, Dylan Holland 8, Korinn Kehoe 4, Katie Reynolds 3, Shanae Wetering 2, Kierstyn Price 2.
Assists – Reynolds 31.
Blocks – Holland 2.
Digs – Krousie 10, Allyson Larmore 10, Holland 7, Reynolds 7, Kehoe 5, Kierstyn Price 2, Wetering 2.
Serves – Holland 12-15 with one ace; Larmore 11-11 with two aces; Krousie 10-10, Price 9-11 with two aces; Reynolds 8-10 with two aces; Kehoe 6-8 with three aces; Wetering 1-2.