STRONG RECOVERY

Titans go on a six-match tear, wins SCC Early Bird Tournament

While the art of “baptism by fire” isn’t pleasant at first, it can pay dividends afterwards.

Following a 1-6 start by the South Central Calhoun volleyball team, the Titans then gathered their bearings and tore through its competition this past week, going a perfect six-for-six in triangular and tournament play.

In the triangular held last Thursday at the GTRA High School Gymnasium in Graettinger, the Titans easily dispatched both Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire and St. Mary’s of Storm Lake. SCC swept GTRA and the Panthers in a pair of 3-0 decisions.

Two days later, the Titans went 6-0 at the SCC “Early Bird” Tournament, held this past Saturday at the SCC Middle School Gymnasium in Rockwell City. The Titans defeated Manson-Northwest Webster, South Hamilton, Pocahontas Area and Spencer in a five-match round robin.

Over the course of 10 sets, SCC fielded an 8-2 record.

Heading into the new week, the Titans improved to a 7-6 record and will gear up for another road trip, this time against Alta-Aurelia on Thursday evening in Alta. This Saturday, the Titans return to the court for its second home tournament of the season, the SCC “Master Blaster” Tournament.

The “Master Blaster” Tournament will start at 9 a.m. on Saturday at the SCC Middle School Gymnasium in Rockwell City.  

Results from the road match against the Warriors and the “Master Blaster” Tournament will be posted in an upcoming edition of The Graphic-Advocate.

SCC 3, GTRA 0: In the first triangular match, the Titans of the south put the brooms to the Titans of the north last Thursday evening at the GTRA High School Gymnasium in Graettinger.

The Titans handled GTRA through scores of 25-15, 25-20 and 25-15.

Sophomore Riley Batta led the way for SCC, generating 12 assists, 10 digs, four kills, two service aces and one block. Senior Kortney Riley also had a strong outing with five kills, one assist, seven digs and one ace.

Senior Sally Musselman was stellar against GTRA, complementing the team with nine assists, six digs, four aces and one kill. Fellow senior Laci Riedesel fared well, putting up three kills, two digs, three blocks and one ace.

Junior Sayer Steig contributed with two kills, five digs, three aces and one block, as sophomore Keira Hammen dished up two kills, one assist, two digs and two blocks.

Senior libero Emma Geno chipped in with one kill and eight digs, while sophomore Sophie McKinney scored two kills and two digs. Sophomore Kylee Schleisman’s followed this effort with one kill and eight digs, and senior Allie Kirkhart and sophomore Addy Geno pitched in with one kill each.

Freshman Madison Collison rounded out the stats sheet with one dig.

SCC 3, St. Mary’s 0: The Titans keep the brooms out for its second sweep of the night, sweeping the Panthers in their second game of the triangular, held last Thursday at the GTRA High School Gymnasium in Graettinger.

SCC defeated the Panthers with scores of 25-20 and 25-15, before putting St. Mary’s away with a dominant 25-6 result.

Riley spearheaded the winning effort, totaling five kills, seven assists, five digs, five service aces and one block on St. Mary’s. Batta continued to impress, recording seven kills, eight assists, six digs, four aces and two blocks.

Musselman acquired 10 assists, five digs, three aces and two kills, as Riedesel compiled five kills, five digs, four blocks and one ace. Steig had a nice game by amassing six kills, three digs, two aces and one block, while Hammen blocked the Panthers on four occasions alongside one kill.

Geno brought her shovel to the match with 14 digs, and tallied two kills. McKinney tallied one kill and one block, and Schleisman left the match with seven digs.

SCC 2, Manson-Northwest Webster 0: The first battle between the two Calhoun County teams was a one-sided affair, as the Titans dispatched the Cougars in the first game of the SCC Early Bird Tournament held this past Saturday at the SCC Middle School Gymnasium in Rockwell City.

The Titans cruised past Manson-Northwest Webster with scores of 21-11 and 21-18.

Riley punished the Cougars with seven kills, two assists, four digs and three service aces, as Batta kept generating stats with nine assists, eight digs three kills and one ace. Riedesel had a strong outing, contributing with two kills, two aces and one dig.

Musselman worked up three assists, three digs and one kill, and Geno went into double-digit territory with 11 digs. Steig chipped in with two kills and two digs, while McKinney had one kill and one assist alongside Hammen’s one kill and one dig.

Schleisman capped the stats with three digs on the Cougars.

SCC 2, South Hamilton 0: The Titans kept rolling, bypassing the Hawks in their second match at the SCC Early Bird Tournament, which took place this past Saturday at the SCC Middle School Gymnasium in Rockwell City.

SCC fended off South Hamilton in the first set, winning 21-17, before remaining unbeaten in tournament play with a 21-14 decision.

Batta led the way for SCC, with a total of eight assists, five kills, five digs and one block. Riley fared well against the Hawks with four kills, three digs, one assist and one service ace.

Riedesel was solid, piecing together a performance of three kills, three digs, one block and one ace, as Musselman recorded five assists, four digs and two kills. McKinney chipped in nicely with two blocks, one kill and one dig, as Geno came away with seven digs and one ace.

Schleisman had three digs and an ace, while Hammen was a wall against South Hamilton, totaling three blocks and one kill.

Steig pitched in, as well, with two digs and one kill.

SCC 2, Pocahontas Area 1: It took three games, however, the Titans prevailed over the Indians in their third game at the SCC Early Bird Tournament, held at the SCC Middle School Gym in Rockwell City.

The Titans took a 21-16 victory in the first set, before getting edged out in a 22-20 setback. In that second set, SCC had rallied from six down in the middle of the game. Despite some fierce resistance from Pocahontas, the Titans took a hard fought 15-13 victory.

Riley went multidimensional on Poky, securing eight kills, eight digs, four service aces and three assists, as Batta put together 10 assists, nine digs and six kills. Hammen had a strong outing with five blocks and two kills, Musselman brought eight assists, six aces and four digs to the winning effort.

Riedesel compiled three kills, two aces and one dig, as Geno picked up her shovel and racked up 12 digs. Steig chipped in with four digs and two kills, while McKinney had two blocks and two digs.

Schleisman rounded out the stats sheet with two digs for the Titans.

SCC 2, Spencer 1: In their final match of the tournament, the Titans came back from a one-game deficit to defeat the Tigers for the SCC Early Bird Tournament championship, which took place at the SCC Middle School Gym in Rockwell City.

Following a 21-18 setback, SCC stormed back to even things out with a 21-17 victory. In the final set, the Titans fended off a furious Spencer rally to earn a 15-12 win.

Batta put up a proverbial “double-double” on the Tigers, amassing 11 digs, 11 assists, six kills, two service aces and one block. Riley was also exceptional, totaling 10 digs, seven kills, three assists and one ace.

Musselman had six assists, six digs and two aces, as Riedesel scored three kills, three digs and one block. Geno went into double digit territory in the digs department once more, this time working up 14 digs.

Hammen’s work at the net was solid, posting three blocks alongside one kill and one dig, while Steig fared well with four digs, one kill and one ace. McKinney recorded two kills and one block, followed by Schleisman’s five digs.