Jake Ryder
sports@muscatinejournal.com
MUSCATINE, Iowa – Even after the “all clear” was given at Muscatine High School Tuesday night, there was a different kind of fire on the volleyball court.
The Class 5A No. 7 Muscatine volleyball team dug in its heels against a strong Clinton attack before succumbing to the River Queens 3-2.
Clinton (9-6, 2-1 MAC) upended the Muskies 17-25, 25-13, 18-25, 25-23, 15-12.
Alyssa Wing led the River Queens with 22 kills and blasted in six kills in the fifth game.
“We were missing a few swings at times in the middle,” Clinton head coach Mark Massey admitted, “but we didn’t miss many in Game 5.”
The Muscatine (9-4, 3-1) attack was led by Katie Shoultz with 15 kills. Alex Walgren and Shayln Greenhaw added 13 and 10 kills, respectively.
The first conference defeat of the season for the Muskies (9-4, 3-1) did not come without a fight.
After being roughed up in Game 2, which at one point featured a 10-0 run by Clinton, the Muskies never trailed in the third set.
“They (Muscatine) were at their best,” Muscatine head coach Claire Rhoten noted. “They were at their quickest. We got hit too hard in that second game and they wanted revenge.”
In a match that was already hotly contested, Game 4 took it over the top.
Muscatine could not hold onto a 13-7 lead as Clinton setter Monique Harris laid out the table for the River Queens’ hitters to have a feast.
The score was 21-16 in favor of Clinton as fire alarms sounded inside the Muscatine gym.
A full evacuation was for naught as the false alarm brought the crowd, players and coaches back in just five minutes later.
“I was as surprised by the fire alarm as everyone else was,” Rhoten said. “I just told them to stay focused and play point-by-point and game-by-game because that’s all that we can do.”
The brief intermission was enough time for Muscatine to stage a quick comeback and attempt to end the match, getting as close as 22-23 before Wing shut the door with two kills in the final three rally points.
Wing, a 6-foot-2 senior, joined a tall front-line attack that tested Muscatine throughout the night.
For the most part, the smaller Muskies were able to respond with quick feet and even quicker thinking.
“They’re really quick,” Rhoten said of her team’s defensive efforts, “but they’re also working on reading everything. … Our back row defense is really reliable.”
Alex Walgren led Muscatine with 21 digs and libero Kaylee Jones contributed 18 digs.
“There’s some incredible liberos in this league,” Massey said, “and (Jones) is definitely one of them.”
On Tuesday, Clinton was just a little bit better in the final showdown.
“Tonight, they were the better team,” Rhoten said. “I really do think overall that we’re a better team, we just have to have confidence and believe that going forward.”
Massey said he didn’t expect the match to reach this level.
“It took our best effort of the season to beat them,” Massey said. “Wing was going up and she was putting some licks on the ball; … we’re not used to that ball coming back if it’s not blocked.”
Muscatine swept Clinton 2-0 at the Muskie Invite on Sept. 1.
The Muskies will get an opportunity at a rubber match when they travel to the River Queens Invitational Saturday.
Other MAC teams include Davenport Assumption, Davenport North and Davenport Central.
“We’re looking to play Assumption harder than we did at our own invite,” Rhoten said, “and hopefully we’ll see Clinton in the championships and get a chance to fight back.”
The Muscatine sophomores were victorious over Clinton 21-25, 25-12, 15-12.
Clinton 17-25-18-25-15
Muscatine 25-13-25-23-12
(Muscatine stats only)
Kills – Katie Shoultz 15, Alex Walgren 13, Shay Greenhaw 10, Danielle Nelson 6, Megan Beauchamp 5. Digs – Walgren 21, Kaylee Jones 18, Emily Clemens 13, Shoultz 10, Sarah Lothspeich 8. Blocks – Greenhaw 5 (5 assisted). Serving – Jones 14-14; Beauchamp 21-23 (3 aces); Walgren 20-22 (3 aces); Greenhaw 15-16. Assists – Rachel Beatty 37.
Records: Muscatine 9-4, 3-1 MAC; Clinton 9-6, 2-1 MAC.
sports@muscatinejournal.com
MUSCATINE, Iowa – Even after the “all clear” was given at Muscatine High School Tuesday night, there was a different kind of fire on the volleyball court.
The Class 5A No. 7 Muscatine volleyball team dug in its heels against a strong Clinton attack before succumbing to the River Queens 3-2.
Clinton (9-6, 2-1 MAC) upended the Muskies 17-25, 25-13, 18-25, 25-23, 15-12.
Alyssa Wing led the River Queens with 22 kills and blasted in six kills in the fifth game.
“We were missing a few swings at times in the middle,” Clinton head coach Mark Massey admitted, “but we didn’t miss many in Game 5.”
The Muscatine (9-4, 3-1) attack was led by Katie Shoultz with 15 kills. Alex Walgren and Shayln Greenhaw added 13 and 10 kills, respectively.
The first conference defeat of the season for the Muskies (9-4, 3-1) did not come without a fight.
After being roughed up in Game 2, which at one point featured a 10-0 run by Clinton, the Muskies never trailed in the third set.
“They (Muscatine) were at their best,” Muscatine head coach Claire Rhoten noted. “They were at their quickest. We got hit too hard in that second game and they wanted revenge.”
In a match that was already hotly contested, Game 4 took it over the top.
Muscatine could not hold onto a 13-7 lead as Clinton setter Monique Harris laid out the table for the River Queens’ hitters to have a feast.
The score was 21-16 in favor of Clinton as fire alarms sounded inside the Muscatine gym.
A full evacuation was for naught as the false alarm brought the crowd, players and coaches back in just five minutes later.
“I was as surprised by the fire alarm as everyone else was,” Rhoten said. “I just told them to stay focused and play point-by-point and game-by-game because that’s all that we can do.”
The brief intermission was enough time for Muscatine to stage a quick comeback and attempt to end the match, getting as close as 22-23 before Wing shut the door with two kills in the final three rally points.
Wing, a 6-foot-2 senior, joined a tall front-line attack that tested Muscatine throughout the night.
For the most part, the smaller Muskies were able to respond with quick feet and even quicker thinking.
“They’re really quick,” Rhoten said of her team’s defensive efforts, “but they’re also working on reading everything. … Our back row defense is really reliable.”
Alex Walgren led Muscatine with 21 digs and libero Kaylee Jones contributed 18 digs.
“There’s some incredible liberos in this league,” Massey said, “and (Jones) is definitely one of them.”
On Tuesday, Clinton was just a little bit better in the final showdown.
“Tonight, they were the better team,” Rhoten said. “I really do think overall that we’re a better team, we just have to have confidence and believe that going forward.”
Massey said he didn’t expect the match to reach this level.
“It took our best effort of the season to beat them,” Massey said. “Wing was going up and she was putting some licks on the ball; … we’re not used to that ball coming back if it’s not blocked.”
Muscatine swept Clinton 2-0 at the Muskie Invite on Sept. 1.
The Muskies will get an opportunity at a rubber match when they travel to the River Queens Invitational Saturday.
Other MAC teams include Davenport Assumption, Davenport North and Davenport Central.
“We’re looking to play Assumption harder than we did at our own invite,” Rhoten said, “and hopefully we’ll see Clinton in the championships and get a chance to fight back.”
The Muscatine sophomores were victorious over Clinton 21-25, 25-12, 15-12.
Clinton 17-25-18-25-15
Muscatine 25-13-25-23-12
(Muscatine stats only)
Kills – Katie Shoultz 15, Alex Walgren 13, Shay Greenhaw 10, Danielle Nelson 6, Megan Beauchamp 5. Digs – Walgren 21, Kaylee Jones 18, Emily Clemens 13, Shoultz 10, Sarah Lothspeich 8. Blocks – Greenhaw 5 (5 assisted). Serving – Jones 14-14; Beauchamp 21-23 (3 aces); Walgren 20-22 (3 aces); Greenhaw 15-16. Assists – Rachel Beatty 37.
Records: Muscatine 9-4, 3-1 MAC; Clinton 9-6, 2-1 MAC.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please register & feel free to make a comment. Thank you for your visit!