FREDONIA — Their game is coming together. Iola High’s Fillies showed their coach a full week of hard work in the gym is paying off.
The Fillies defeated Yates Center High’s Wildcats 25-16, 27-25 Tuesday then lost a close three-game match to host Fredonia, 25-12, 25-27, 25-23.
“I’m ecstatic that everything came together for the girls. They were able to play hard, win and come out of the loss a better team,” said Jodi Grover, Fillies’ head coach.
“My motto is ‘If you are going to lose, lose by two and learn something from the loss.’”
With a 5-8 overall record the Fillies head into Southeast Kansas League play Thursday at Independence along with Pittsburg.
“Thursday will be a challenge for all of us. Picking up and traveling again with homecoming week activities, school work and everything else kids do. We start SEK play and if we can keep up what I saw Tuesday night on the floor, we will be competitive with all teams in our league.”
Iola pushed ahead of Yates Center 11-1 in the first game with Kelsey Larson serving the first five points — three on ace serves.
Kelsey Adams served up five more points for the Fillies in the run. Grover said said the Fillies passed, set and hit the volleyball well in the match.
Yates Center pushed the Fillies in the second game. It was 24-24 then 25-25. Adams served out the final two points for the Fillies.
Against Fredonia, Grover said the Yellowjackets were ready for the Fillies and Iola couldn’t get things rolling in the first game.
The second game was exciting, Grover said. Iola led 24-21 but Fredonia was able to come back to get in front 25-24.
“Riana Dolenz had a block and a kill to get us to 26. Kelsey Larson set Riana in the middle and Riana hit the right back corner for the kill and win,” Grover said.
In the third game, it was the same pattern as the first with the Yellowjackets taking a large lead 14-6. Iola battled back.
Down 24-18, Kelsey Larson served three points. Fredonia came up with match winner.
“We fell just a little short but the team made such a great improvement since we had played a week and a half ago,” Grover said.
Grover said Kirstin McGuffin, Keli Lee, Dolenz and Kendra Taiclet have come around playing the back row. She said the team is getting to more digs and setting them back up for the kill.
For the two matches, Taiclet downed 18 kills and made three solo blocks at the net and had four digs. Toni Taylor racked up 12 kills and two solo blocks.
Larson was credited with 22 set assists and Taylor had nine assists. Larson had five kills.
McGuffin put down seven kills while Dolenz had six kills and two solo blocks. Adams had one kill and one block.
Dolenz had six digs, McGuffin had four digs and Lee had three digs.
Iola’s junior varsity also gained a split of matches Tuesday. It lost 25-22, 25-18 to Yates Center but beat Fredonia 25-22, 25-21.
“We were getting good looks for attacks and kept the ball off the floor but just couldn’t execute,” said Casey Greenwood, IHS assistant coach, about play against Yates Center.
“The girls took control against Fredonia and everyone contributed.”
Katie Thompson had three kills, three solo blocks and eight digs. Libby Shay had three kills, one block, one dig and two ace serves. Tori Snavely made 10 set assists, three digs and served five aces.
Celeste Ambrose made four solo blocks and downed six kills plus had three digs. Alyssa Zimmerman made five digs and had one service ace. Hannah Barclay had two solo blocks and a kill. Essence Owens had one kill and one block. Emma Sigg made two digs and Paige Miller had one dig.
Fillies gain a split in matches
