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Posted September 28, 2007

Prep volleyball: Royals nipped by Dons

By Jake Miller
Wisconsin Rapids Tribune
Jmiller2@Gannett.com

Assumption's Jada Straub tries to keep the ball in bounds during Thursday's match against Columbus Catholic in Marshfield. Laura Schmitt/for the Daily Tribune

On the back of their hot pink team T-shirts there is a slogan: We have God on our side.

On Thursday, the Columbus Catholic volleyball team also was graced with Arynn Martin's powerful cross-court attacks and a dominating fourth game that would lead the way to the promise land -- or at least, to a key Marawood Conference win.

In a 3-2 win over Wisconsin Rapids Assumption in Marshfield, the Dons bounced back from a 2-1 deficit after winning the first game 25-22, then losing the next two 18-25, 16-25.

Columbus claimed the fourth game 25-6 with a seemingly endless streak of consistent serving, coupled with a multitude of Assumption miscues, which set the tone for a 15-10 win in the fifth game.

"It was, I would have to say, epic," said Martin, who finished with 14 kills. "Because we were down so much in the second and third game and then to come back, it felt really good."

The comeback came on the heels of two losses that had put the Royals (4-1), who were previously undefeated in the Marawood Conference South Division, in control of the match.

Liz Sigler, Assumption's kill leader this season, finished with 13 but had seven attack errors on 39 total attacks.

The fourth game, though, would be the turning point. After benefiting from Columbus' mistakes early on, the Royals struggled to find any rhythm later in the game.

"We fell apart. We couldn't pass. We couldn't find a hitter that could get the ball into play," Assumption coach Shannon Shaw said. "That's basically it."

Miranda Fleischmann's serving was the catalyst. She had five aces in a 16-point run that took the Don's one-point advantage to an insurmountable 22-6 lead.

"It was crazy. We just couldn't stop cheering," Martin said. "Miranda was amazing."

The win improves the Dons' conference record to 3-2, a far cry from last year's 0-14 mark in the Marawood.

Columbus' first-year coach Lucas Hart said the win was the Dons' "biggest by far."

Juliana Kaiser led Columbus with 15 assists, Fleischmann added six kills, Melinda Holzberger had five kills, while junior setter Melissa Draxler led with 15 digs.

Mary Parmeter's seven assists led the Royals, while Kelsey Peterson added four aces throughout the up-and-down match in which consistency was an issue.

"We have played in spurts all year. Sometimes we come to play and sometimes we don't," Shaw said. "We fell apart. That was a bad run."