BLOOMFIELD —
The Davis County Mustang volleyball team opened another season under veteran coach Marty Barnett with a 3-1 win over Keokuk Tuesday night in Bloomfield. The game scores were 25-12, 23-25, 27-25 and 25-15.
With a number of new players and some players having new roles, the young Mustangs shook off any opening-game jitters and easily controlled game one. Rylee Eakins had a four-point service run to give the Mustangs an early advantage. Back-to-back kills by Kate Birchmier put DC up 11-4. A big hit by Eakins off a double block put the Mustangs up 24-12 and they closed out game one — one point later.
“I was pleasantly surprised how we handled some of those opening-match jitters,” said Barnett.
The visiting Chiefs used a perfect serving game (24/24) and the hitting of Rachel Dunlap to win game two. After a big hit by Eakins, the Mustangs led 4-0 before Keokuk rallied back to grab their first lead of the match at 13-12. Four different times in the last half of game two, the Mustangs had to fight back from a two point deficit. The hitting of Eakins, Birchmier, and Megan Joos got DC back to even at 23, before Dunlap ended it with a winner.
“Volleyball is really a game of ups and downs,” said Barnett. “We just quit moving with our defensive coverage,”
Game three was close throughout. Neither team held a lead of more than three. The visitors held the last lead of three late at 19-16.
Eakins started to assert herself at the net as she had four blocks and a kill, but back-to-back kills by Joos brought the Mustangs back to within one at 22-21.
The Chiefs were their own worst enemy as the game drew to its close. A rotation violation tied the game at 22. Keokuk was called for being in the net to tie it at 24. DC went up 25-24 on a carry call against the Chiefs. After Keokuk tied it at 25, a big hit by Eakins and an ace serve by Joos gave the game to the Mustangs.
“Our passing game is still a work in progressm” said Barnett. “In the final game, we helped that out by moving better.”
The Mustangs jumped out to an early 4-0 lead with Birchmier serving. They would go on to control the game as easily as they did in game one. Eakins had three of her six kills to lead the Mustang hitting. Her final winner gave DC a 20-12 lead.
“I’m playing all around this year, and I like it, and I don’t think it bothers my hitting,” said Eakins. “For some reason tonight, I just started a little slow.”
Shelby Graves, now the primary setter for the Mustangs, has the job of finding Eakins, Birchmier, and Joos. She talked about her role in the offense.
“I feel like it helps me to be on the floor all the time. It’s my job to handle the pass and get it to the hitter with the best chance to score.”
The Mustang hitting closed out the match, as Birchmier banged consecutive hits off the block for the winners.
Davis County will be on the road Thursday night at Grinnell.
Davis County 25-23-27-25
Keokuk 12-25-25-15
Keokuk Statistics
Serving — Maria Welborn 1/3, Lakyn Boltz 15/15, Dunlap 9/10, Chelsea Deyo 9/10, Kirby Sanders 3/3, Cassidy Etter 8/10, Hannah Seyb 18/18, Bailey Roth 9/9. Team —72/78 . Aces — Boltz, Deyo, Etter, Seyb 2, Roth. Team — 6.
Hitting — Sanders 12/13, Madilynn Hawkins 1/1, Deyo 11/14, Dunlap 39/43, Anna Zetterlund 17/19, Seyb 5/7, Welborn 4/7, Roth 9/12, Boltz 2/3. Team —100/119 . Kills — Hawkins, Dunlap 11, Zetterlund 3, Welborn, Roth. Team — 17.
Setting — Boltz 23. Team — 23.
Blocks — Dunlap 3, Zetterlund 7. Team — 10.
Digs — NA. Team — NA.
Davis County Statistics
Serving — Joos 8/13, Graves 17/17, Eakins 15/19, Lauren Lynch 14/15, Cami Guiter 14/15, Birchmier 17/20. Team —85/99 . Aces — Joos, Graves 3, Eakins 2, Guiter, Birchmier. Team — 8.
Hitting — Birchmier 19/22, Joos 31/35, Eakins 36/37, Lynch 13/17, Graves 5/7, Guiter 3/5.. Team —107/123 . Kills — Birchmier 3, Joos 4, Eakins 6, Graves 2. Team — 15.
Setting — Graves 36. Team — 41.
Blocks — Birchmier 2, Eakins 7. Team — 9.
Digs — Lynch 16. Team — 70.
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