RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Rapid City Central Cobblers have a few more matches under their belts than the Sturgis Scoopers and it showed early, as Central pounded Sturgis in set one, 25-13. Head coach Deb Cano calmed down and refocused her squad between sets and the Scoopers caught fire and swept the Cobblers in the next three sets to win the match at Naasz Gymnasium in Rapid City on Tuesday night, Oct. 13.
Sturgis beat Central in the final three sets, 25-19, 25-19 and 25-23.
The Cobblers jumped out to an early 14-3 lead in set one with pinpoint setting by Ramsey Deming and kills by Matayah Yellow Mule and Amarae Rinto. The Scoopers didn’t get warmed up until about midway through set one but they couldn’t close the gap. Cobbler middle hitter Julie Valandra ended the set on a kill and Central walked away with the set, 25-13.
Set two was back and forth but Sturgis used kills by middle hitter Kaylee Whatley and outside hitter Makayla Keffler to give the Scoopers an eight point lead, 23-15, late in the set. Central scored the next three points, hoping to make a late run but a soft kill by Scooper setter Olivia Vollmer ended set two with a Sturgis victory, 25-19.
Set three was a replay of set two, as both teams battled it out early but Sturgis chipped away at the Cobbler defense to take a 19-11 lead. Deming pounded out three straight aces to build some momentum for Central and Sturgis led 19-14. Scooper middle hitter Jillian Beck stopped the Cobbler run with a kill to make it 20-14, then ended the set with another kill a few points later and Sturgis won set three, 25-19.
It looked like the Scoopers would run away with the match as they led 21-16 late in set four. Five-foot-two inch Farren Smith stepped up to the service line and scorched four straight aces past the Scooper defense, causing Cano to call a time out with a 21-20 lead. The short break was all Sturgis needed and Smith served the next ball into the net and the Scoopers held on for a 25-23 win in the set and the match.
Whatley led the Scoopers with 12 kills, two aces with Vollmer adding 12 assists, two kills and five aces. Setter Ramsey Deming had 25 assists, four aces, three kills and two blocks for the Cobblers, with Yellow Mule contributing eight kills.
The Scoopers improve to 7-8 on the season and are back in action Thursday, Oct. 15 at Lead Deadwood. First serve is scheduled for 7pm. Central falls to 2-18 and is at Mitchell on Friday, Oct. 16.
