Jay pushes Delta (08/17/07)

If the Patriots had been able to get just one more point, there is no telling what would have happened the rest of the evening.

Jay County gave the Class 3A No. 2 Delta Eagles all they could handle in Thursday's opening game, but couldn't convert on a couple of game-point opportunities. Delta finally took the opener and controlled the next two games to top the Patriots 28-26, 25-12, 25-11.

"That showed me lots of things," said JCHS coach Fred Medler, whose team is now 1-1. "Number one, we can play about anybody. ... And, even though we were struggling, we didn't quit. We just kept battling in the last two games."

A couple of big blocks helped stake Jay County to a 6-2 lead in the opening game before Delta pulled even at nine. The game was tied again at 11, 12, 13 and 14, but then Chelsea Grady went on a serving run to push the Patriots back ahead 18-14.

Delta rallied again and the teams traded points through the 20s until JCHS had a chance to end the game as it led 25-24. However, a tip from Kelsie Mauck evened the score again.

Shelby Rines hammered home a kill to give the Patriots another game-point try, but Emily Marsh followed with another tip and Delta took the next two points to escape with the victory.

The Eagles rolled out to leads of 6-0 in game two and 10-3 in game three to finish off the match.

Still, Jay County showed impressive signs, including some good blocking up front and big-time defense from Grady and Rines along the back line.

"We've got the kids that can step on the court and play," said Medler, who got eight digs apiece from Rines and Grady. "Now we've just got to get to the next level."

Grady also had team-highs of seven points and two aces, and Rines topped the squad with six kills.

Sharon Dirksen finished with 15 assists, Lindsey Current and Sarah Westgerdes each had three kills and Sarah Mescher tallied three points.

Mauck paced Delta with seven kills, four blocks and three aces. Morgan Hahn six digs, five kills and four aces.

Junior varsity

Jay County improved to 2-0 with a long-awaited 25-16, 22-25, 15-11 victory over the Eagles.

Medler said JCHS had not even beaten Delta in a game, let alone a match, for about a decade.

After splitting the first two games, the teams were again deadlocked at seven in the third. The Patriots took the next three points, and later went up 14-9 thanks to a block and an ace from Amy Alig.

Delta managed to stay alive for the next two points, but it failed to get a Kelsey Wood tip back over the net on the third game-point try for JCHS.

Wood racked up seven kills, five digs, four points and two aces for the Patriots. Liz Walker and Ashley Langenkamp each had six points and five assists, and Walker also added three digs.

Laura Castillo recorded a team-best 10 points, and Alig finished with four kills and three blocks.[[In-content Ad]]