After splitting a pair of non-conference volleyball matches in Boone on Monday vs. the host Toreadors and Class 2A number 6 Kuemper Catholic (Carroll), Coach Chris Heisterkamp’s Rams were back on the road vs. two more non-conference opponents on Tuesday night. This time the bus went north to Rockwell City and the South Central Calhoun Middle School where Greene County met Panorama and the 2A ninth ranked host Titans and the Rams went home with two victories to improve to 5-3 in matches and 15-7 in sets.

The win over SCC is the first this season over a ranked team for the Rams and scored were 27-25, 25-23, 25-21.  Gracie Cooklin continued the hot start to senior season in the back row with 23 digs with nine for Natalee Baugh. Kaylee Stalder Emma Shipley, and Payton Kokenge each had seven kills Shipley had three blocks and Baugh had one in the victory over the Titans.

The win vs. Panorama was by scores of 25-14, 25-14, 25-13. Stalder had 15 kills with six for Shipley, and four each by Kokenge and Baugh. Cooklin led in digs with 10, followed by seven from Violet Reedy, five for Hailey Carman, and four each by Baugh and Kokenge. Shipley, Baugh, and Lila Osterson each recorded one block.

Coach Heisterkamp talked about the win over the Titans. “That match was epic, extremely hard fought, and a night-and-day difference from our previous night of lackluster performance. We got down 5-11 in the first set due to early struggles with service errors. Then we chipped away at the deficit and went back and forth with long intense volleys. Coming down the stretch, we prevailed with some tough serves, took advantage of unforced SCC errors and and poured on aggressive GC attacks.”

The coach continued and said, “In the third set we were up 19-11 and SCC was showing signs of fizzling after the previous two set losses, then they scored five straight to make it 19-16. We were feeling the pressure, but our back row made some amazing digs to keep us alive and we sealed the seal with with a roll shot to the middle by Osterson and and s strong outside attack by Stalder. Liberso Gracie Cooklin had an outstanding night with 23 digs against SCC. Tonight, I can report we played very well.”

The Paton-Churdan volleyball season began on Tuesday night in Churdan with a non-conference loss to Orient-Macksburg by scores of 8-25, 15-25, 14-25. Coach Makayla Spaar reports six kills for Mia Russell and three ace serves for Grace Cullum. Kaliyah Minnehan had one block.