LA CYGNE — A roller-coaster pattern continued Tuesday for Iola High’s volleyball team, as they once again experienced the thrill of victory and tasted bitter defeat.
The Fillies dropped a three-set heartbreaker to Santa Fe Trail, with two of the three sets going a little extra because the match was so close. The finale wound up in Santa Fe Trail’s favor, 28-26. Iola rebounded to take a hard-fought match to win in straight sets over Osawatomie.
The loss to Santa Fe Trail went down to the wire in all three sets, with the Chargers prevailing, 25-21, 25-27 and 28-26.
“It was our game to take,” Fillies head coach Amanda Strickler-Holman said, pointing to key missed serves at the end that proved fatal.
Iola had the serve at match point four times in the third set, but could not seal the win.
Despite the loss, Becca Sprague was a monster for Iola, racking up 15 kills, nine set assists, three aces and 23 digs.
Lauryn Holloway added eight kills, a block and 20 digs; Jenna Curry and Veronica Agostini each had five kills. Agostini added two aces, as did Hannah Gardner. Gardner had 24 digs, Agostini 12. Chloe Sell had 10 set assists.
THE proceedings were a bit smoother against Osawatomie in a 25-20 and 26-24 victory.
Sprague had 10 kills, followed by Holloway and Agostini with five each. Aysha Houk delivered two aces. Curry led the way with 11 digs. Agostini and Sprague and nine assists, respectively.
Strickler-Holman is optimistic the Fillies are peaking as the season hits the home stretch, and close matches such as these, will pay dividends for the senior-laden team.
Iola is back in action next Tuesday at Burlington.
