Patriot spikers clobber South Side (08/30/06)

The Patriots haven't wasted any time this season.

Jay County's volleyball team hasn't been beyond three games in each of its four non-invitational matches this season. It was back on the good side of the quick-finish Tuesday, rolling over the Fort Wayne South Side Archers 25-14, 25-18, 25-11.

"This is one of those matches where you don't worry about the other team, you take care of your play and the match will take care of itself," said JCHS coach Fred Medler, whose squad won back-to-back matches for the first time this season. "Today we didn't string a lot of mistakes together, which we've been doing occasionally. It's good to put a team away."

The Patriots (4-6) got challenged from South Side in the first two games, but took control in the second half of each for a 2-0 lead. They trailed 6-4 in the third before reclaiming the lead on Jessica Muhlenkamp's serve, but still were up just 9-7 as South Side threatened to make a run.

However, after the Archers were called for a net violation, Theresa Reinhart put them away again.

She slaughtered South Side on her serve, scoring six points - two came on aces - before coach DiShondra Goree called a timeout with her team down 16-7. Reinhart added another ace off the arms for Mike'sha Jones after the timeout, and Sarah Mescher followed with a kill to cap the 14-1 run to an 18-7.

The Archers (0-4) managed back-to-back points, but Sharon Dirksen added an ace on her serve as Jay County ran away with the victory.

Reinhart led the Patriots with a match-high 16 points, and shared the match-high of five aces with fellow senior Erica Clark.

"In the serving part of the game Theresa's been real steady all year," said Medler. "In that third game when it was 9-7 you could tell she was picking them out, picking her spots. She got a great, big run, and then Dirksen came in and did the same thing.

"We missed a couple of serves tonight, but that's all. Serving has got to be a strength for us."

Clark also shared the team high of five kills while adding 14 assists, 11 points, three digs and one block for the Patriots, who took control with a 7-2 run midway through the first game and pushed out to a 12-5 lead in game two.

Joining Clark in the balanced Jay County attack were Reinhart, Dirksen and Mescher with five kills apiece. Muhlenkamp had a team-best nine digs, and Ashley Horn followed with eight.

"We need matches like this just to get our confidence on the court," said Medler, whose team also defeated South Adams in three quick games last week. "The first game (the Archers) didn't move their feet very well, but then in the second and third games they started playing a lot harder and made it more tough on us. But we did what we had to do.

"Overall it was a good night. It's coming."

South Side's Heidi Orr matched Jay County's group of four with her five kills. Jones finished with 12 digs, Krystal Pollard had 11 digs and seven assists and Jarvisha Jackson totaled four kills.

Goree said she felt her team played better than the final score indicated, "but there are things we need to work on - passing, communication. But I have a young team that's inexperienced.

"My team lacks aggressiveness. I feel that we let a lot of free balls come over and drop on the floor."

Junior varsity

Jay County rolled through the first game as it defeated the Archers 25-5, 25-20.

Amy Powell paced the Patriots (2-5) with 12 points, including five aces. Lindsey Current finished with five kills, and Kelsey Wood added three.

Becky Muhlenkamp scored six points, Chelsea Grady picked up four digs and Liz Walker had four assists.

Freshman

The Patriots earned their first victory over the season by a 25-9, 25-13 score over South Side.

Becky Muhlenkamp had team highs with eight points, five digs and four aces. Ashley Langenkamp also had four aces to go along with three kills and two digs.

Kelsey Wood slammed home eight kills, and Liz Walker had seven points and four assists.[[In-content Ad]]