Stars outlast Jay (09/22/04)

PORTLAND — Maybe the Stars are just more used to shining late at night.

Both teams have struggled this year, but it was the South Adams Starfires which pulled out the final two games of a marathon night of volleyball to knock off the Jay County Patriots, 25-23, 23-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-6.

Tuesday’s five-game varsity match lasted until nearly 11 p.m. as it followed three-game battles in both junior varsity and freshman action. South Adams (3-12) was down two games to one, but bounced back from an early 7-3 deficit to win the fourth game and controlled the fifth to end coach Terri Rhoades’ night on a high note.

“Coming back after being down two games to one — they never gave up,” she said. “ This team just fought back. I’m proud of them tonight.

“This will help us at this stage of the season. We’re playing a lot of matches right now. ... To dig this one out will help us for the rest of the year.”

The Starfires won a close first game, but Jay County (6-16) pulled ahead with victories in two more tight games in the second and third. The Patriots went up 7-3 behind a pair of Jamie Walker aces in the fourth game when the visitors took over.

South Adams went on an 8-1 run to take the lead, getting two kills apiece from Brooke Fox and Robyn Habegger during the stretch. It continued to keep Jay County off the board, scoring 17 out of 21 points for a 20-11 lead.

Walker managed to lead a 5-0 Patriot run when she went back to serve again, but it came too late as Starfires forced a deciding fifth game.

When South Adams broke a 2-2, game-five tie with a 5-1 run the match was all but over. Jay County never scored back-to-back points in game five, and the match ended on back-to-back attack errors by the Patriots.

Renee Neuenschwander scored each of the first five points for the Starfires in that final game, recording three kills and a pair of stuff blocks.

Neuenschwander had a team-best 13 kills. She also finished with three blocks and three aces.

Rhoades was happy to spread the credit around, handing out compliments to basically her entire lineup. She was especially happy with the way senior outside hitter Robyn Habegger showed leadership in the deciding moments.

“There at the end Robyn was calling for the ball,” said Rhoades. “We’ve been waiting for that out of her all year.

“I thought we served the ball exceptionally well. We served well in the first game, then really picked it up again in the fourth.”

Habegger finished with a team-high 24 digs, to go along with 10 kills. Lacy Rhoades had nine digs and two aces, and junior setter Alyssa Miller posted 29 assists.

For Jay County, the match was more of what the team has seen for much of the season. Coach Fred Medler said the Patriots’ biggest problem is that they continually made mistakes to dig themselves deeper and deeper holes which they can not escape.

“The first game was very indicative,” said Medler. “We got one point, and then they scored five points and you could see the confidence leave our faces.”

Erin St. Myers notched 21 digs, 11 kills and six points for Jay County. Leah Gasparovic had 13 points, including four aces, and 16 assists, and Erica Clark added 14 assists.

Shannon O’Dell posted 12 kills, Janae Roush had 17 digs and Walker totaled nine points, including four aces.

South Adams will return home for the first time in six matches Thursday when it hosts Winchester at 6 p.m. Jay County will play at home Thursday against Wes-Del at 6 p.m.

Junior varsity

The teams split the first two games, but South Adams controlled the third for a 25-22, 24-26, 25-15 victory over Jay County in junior varsity action Tuesday.

The Starfires led the first game 24-14 when Jay County finally came alive. Carissa Wilkens served seven straight points, including four aces, to get the Patriots close, but the visitors took the game 25-22 on an attack error.

South Adams trailed 20-16 in game two and scored eight straight points for a 24-20 lead before Jay County rallied again. The Patriots ran off six points in a row to force a third game, two on kills by Jessica Muhlenkamp and four on Starfire miscues.

However, there was no rally in game three as South Adams went up 21-14 and eventually won on a Jay County attack error.

Wilkens paced Jay County with 15 points, six on aces, and 11 digs. Shelby Rines had 11 points and eight digs.

Muhlenkamp finished with five kills, Mary Spencer had four kills and Sharon Dirksen posted eight assists.

Freshman

Jay County’s lone win of the night came in freshman action, where the Patriots jumped out to a 9-3, game-three lead and never looked back. They finished the third game on a 12-5 run for the 25-19, 13-25, 25-15 victory.

Stephanie Wellman paced Jay County with 15 points, including six aces. She also had six assists and one dig.

Jessica Murdock matched Wellman’s six aces as she scored eight points. She added 15 digs and two kills.

Shanda Morningstar and Brittany O’Dell notched two kills apiece, and Julie Alig had a block.[[In-content Ad]]