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Hawks sloppy, still sweep Madrid

Serving does the trick for SH, which improves to 17-5

South Hamilton’s Chloe Barkema (left) and Anna Moss (4) go up for the block against Madrid’s Kyra Troendle (11) last night in Jewell. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

JEWELL — Whether it was a line-drive the screamed as it crossed the net or a blooper that barely trickled to the other side of the court, the South Hamilton volleyball team seemed to do everything right from behind the service line last night on Coach Jim Marsh Court.

The Hawks needed that advantage, too, because there were plenty of areas where they simply weren’t sharp.

Nevertheless, South Hamilton rode its serving and its ability to come through in crunch time to dispose of Madrid in three sets, 25-20, 25-20, 25-18, for its second straight victory.

“When we’re on is when our serve is decent and we did a nice job of serving short (last night). They struggled receiving that,” South Hamilton head coach Rusty Wintermote said. “But it just seemed that when we were out of system, that’s when we were out of sync and not ready to do anything.”

Anna Moss reeled off nine consecutive points on her serve as part of a 10-0 run early in the opening set and it was a sign of things to come. When the Tigers (4-5) went on runs to close the gap, South Hamilton (17-5) had the answer with the serve

South Hamilton outside hitter Taylor Ratzke blasts a kill during the third set of the Hawks’ 3-0 sweep of Madrid last night in Jewell. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Moss finished with three of the Hawks’ nine aces.

The sloppy back and forth hindered South Hamilton’s ability to put the ball away. The Hawks hit just .096 as a team with 28 kills against 20 errors. Moss laced nine, seven of them coming in the second set when she rallied her squad back from a deficit. Lily Skartvedt ripped off four of her eight kills in the opening set, and Hailey Cavan came off the bench to blister four kills in the final set.

Moss also led the team in digs with 15. Skartvedt added 10 and Makayla Cavan chipped in six digs and eight assists. Taylor Volkmann led the trio of setters — Karlie Busch also took a turn directing the team in the third set — with 10 assists.

The hot start gave South Hamilton what appeared to be an insurmountable advantage as it built the cushion to 21-8. But Madrid didn’t back down and scored 12 of the next 13 points to pull within 22-20. A Tigers’ errors gave the serve back to the Hawks and they rattled off the final two points of a Skartvedt blast and a service winner by Katie Johnson.

The inconsistent play continued in the second set for the Hawks, as they fell behind by as many as three points early on.

South Hamilton’s players on the floor celebrate a block during the third set of last night’s 3-0 win over Madrid in Jewell. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Moss kept South Hamilton in contention and it was her fifth kill of the stanza that eventually knotted the score at 14. She followed with two more kills over the next three points to put the Hawks in front for good.

The final set was tight until Hailey Cavan came off the bench and took over. The sophomore bashed four kills in a the span of nine points to give South Hamilton a 17-14 advantage. Then she went behind the service line and ripped off five consecutive points, one on an ace, and Madrid was never able to challenge again.

“In that last set when we weren’t making plays, I thought Hailey Cavan came in an did a nice job,” Wintermote said. “She’s a talented kid … she accepts her role and comes in and plays hard.”

South Hamilton 3, Madrid 0

Thursday at Jewell

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Attacks — Hailey Cavan 5-6, 4 kills; Anna Moss 18-24, 9 kills; Lily Skartvedt 17-22, 8 kills; Taylor Ratzke 8-11, 3 kills; Chloe Barkema 7-9, 2 kills; Anna Ervin 2-2, 1 kill; Sydney Friest 2-2; Breanne Diersen 4-7, 1 kill.

Blocks — H. Cavan 1, Moss 1, Skartvedt 1, Ratzke 1, Barkema 3, Friest 1, Diersen 1.

Digs — Karlie Busch 3, Katie Johnson 5, Moss 15, Skartvedt 10, Leah Jacoby 5, Makayla Cavan 6, Taylor Volkmann 4, Diersen 3.

Assists — Busch 3, Moss 1, Skartvedt 2, Ratzke 1, Volkmann 10, M. Cavan 8.

Serving — Busch 4-5, 2 aces; H. Cavan 5-6, 1 ace; Johnson 8-8, 1 ace; Moss 15-15, 3 aces; Skartvedt 4-4; Ratzke 4-5, 1 ace; Katelyn Sogard 2-2; Jacoby 5-5; Friest 6-6, 1 ace; Volkmann 9-9; M. Cavan 1-1; Diersen 5-5.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

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