By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
After a surprise run to the Class 3 state title match last year, the expectation bar is significantly higher for the Logan-Rogersville volleyball team this fall.
The Lady Wildcats (11-1 overall) are adjusting to being the heavy favorite in most matches, rather than the gritty underdog.
“They had to fight, tooth and nail, for every single win last year,” Logan-Rogersville coach Logan Beach said. “This year, they haven’t had that as much. They’ve just been more skilled than a lot of teams we’re playing.
“It’s taken, not necessarily waking up, but (emphasizing) who you are and what you’re capable of. Teams aren’t just going to lay down for you because of who you are. You have to take care of your own business.”
Logan-Rogersville finally found its mojo after a sluggish start on Saturday afternoon against defending Class 1 state champion Winona. The maroon-and-white Lady Wildcats dropped the first two sets but rallied back for a 3-2 victory (16-25, 23-25, 25-22, 25-11, 15-5) to cap off an undefeated showing in their home quad this weekend.
Winona was on the verge of doing what Ozark did on Sept. 2 – sweeping Logan-Rogersville. Beach credited senior utility player Jacy Holmes for helping LR bounce back.
“We were playing a little fearful in the beginning,” Beach said. “We were looking for someone else to make the play, because we didn’t want to make the mistakes.
“In a timeout, one of my seniors, Jacy Holmes, said we were waiting for it to not be our fault. That made everyone sit there for a second and realize we need to take care of our own business and support each other while we’re doing it.”
From there, Logan-Rogersville pulled away late in the third set and dominated the final two frames to clinch the victory. Millie Bauer led Logan-Rogersville with 27 kills and Hailey Buckman added 11 kills. Senior libero Addison Hammond had 19 digs plus five aces.
Logan-Rogersville started its weekend quad with a sweep of El Dorado Springs on Friday night, then beat Blair Oaks in four sets Saturday morning. Against Winona in the afternoon finale, Logan-Rogersville drew its stiffest test since the Ozark match.
“It was kind of a thing we had forgotten about,” Beach said. “I told them, over and over, ‘Winona is real.’ They’re ranked ahead of us in the state, regardless of Class. They have a really good group.”
Like Logan-Rogersville, Winona (22-1 overall) is navigating higher expectations after bringing back everyone from last year’s Class 1 state title team.
Winona has stacked its regular season schedule this year for postseason preparation.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE MATCH
“We were excited when (Logan-Rogersville) reached out and wanted to have us come in for this (quad),” said Winona coach Jordan Denning. “We want to be challenged. We’re okay with losing to a good team. Obviously, we always want to win but we knew coming here that this was going to be tough. And that’s what we were looking for.”
Outside of Saturday’s loss, Winona has been playing up to its championship standards through the first month of the season. Friday night’s 3-1 win over Blair Oaks was the first time Winona had dropped a set all season.
The purple-clad Lady Wildcats have already won two regular season tournaments. Only five of Winona’s 23 matches so far have come against Class 1 schools.
Winona plays a “six strong” lineup where the starters rarely come off the court. There are no 6-footers in the lineup, either.
“Everyone’s in (the game) pretty much the whole time,” Denning said. “A five-set match, for us, is exhausting. We could tell our (energy) was shifting, but Logan-Rogersville was also wearing us out. They have three hitters at all times, and we have to stay with them.”
Entering this weekend’s action, returning all-state selections Taylor Williams (senior) and Sadie Kile (sophomore) led the Lady Wildcats with over 200 kills apiece. Senior setter and fellow all-state returnee Lexi Lindsey (484 assists) continues to run the show in Winona’s 5-1 system.
The gauntlet continues for Winona next week, with a home match against Summersville on Sept. 23 followed by the Big Springs Conference (BSC) Tournament at home Sept. 25-27. After playing at Lesterville on Sept. 29, the Lady Wildcats get a much-needed week off in early October.
“We’re exhausted, I’ll be honest,” Denning said. “We’ve cut practices a little short. It’s not that we don’t want to practice, but our bodies need rest. I just remind the girls to take care of their bodies and make sure they’re getting the right nutrients and rest.”
Logan-Rogersville is about to enter the busiest portion of its schedule. The Lady Wildcats play three home matches next week and have two tournaments in early October.
“We’re taking it bite-size at a time,” Beach said. “I knew we’d be better this year. Last year was hard because we had to take it in spurts: ‘This is going to be a good week, this is going to be a hard week.’ That’s why our record was the way it was.”
“This year, we have a lot of talent and it’s easier, but at the same time, each game is important and we’re trying not to look at the bigger picture as much.”
