ORFORDVILLE - Dana Lewis sat next to the scorer's table, frustrated and bewildered.
With their six-feet, two-inch middle blocker a spectator, the Cardinals were unable to get through their fourth rotation in the fifth game of a 17-25, 25-21, 25-16, 17-25, 15-7, loss to Orfordville Parkview.
It was the Vikings' first victory over Brodhead since the turn of the millennium. It also reminded Lewis that the 2008 state tournament run is over and 2009 is still very much a work in progress for the freshman-laden club.
"If I'm not in, what am I supposed to do?" Lewis said. "I'm used to having another middle (hitter) that's as good as me or better, so it's a lot different. I'm trying to give them my best encouragement, but it's hard sitting there knowing they're not going to make the best choices, but I'm gonna hope that they do."
The Cardinals (2-2 Rock Valley South), as they did 12 days prior at Big Foot High School, took game one on the road.
"We seem to be ready the first game and we don't click after that," Brodhead coach Eric Ebensperger said. "We turn a switch the first game, we're powerful and we're coming at 'em. We just need to keep it coming and we haven't been able to do that consistently."
While Brodhead's energy slipped in the second and third games, the Vikings (3-1 RVC) overcame the sort of slow start coach Kurt Kirchenwitz has gotten used to in his seven years as Vikings skipper.
"We're a really slow-starting team, and we give away a lot of points early," Kirchenwitz said. "But I would rather have them swing away and make hitting errors because we've been a very passive team for years."
The Cardinals rallied with four straight points to lead game two 19-18 before Kirchenwitz called a time out. His Vikings responded, led by kill leaders Sabrina Suiter (10) and Breanna Ryan (9). Libero Jasmine Koch, meanwhile, gave her team every opportunity to succeed with 30 digs.
Brodhead took a 3-0 lead in the third game as Lewis rifled a game-opening kill and Amanda Pickel added an ace before a Vikings net foul. The Cards later led 11-9, thanks to Amanda Johnson rattling back-to-back kills through double blocks and laying out for several impressive digs.
But the Vikings put together two strings of four unanswered points to rally and take the lead two games to one.
"We came out wanting it and then we played not to lose," Lewis said. "We think we've got it in the bag."
The Cardinals took game four behind a 6-1 surge to open the game. Despite committing their third rotation violation, all was forgiven for Brodhead when Johnson placed a double-clutch spike kill along the left boundary around a double block.
The match was even - on paper. But Lewis saw a very different Vikings team entering the finale.
"I think they were hungry and played to win," Lewis said. "We're young, and we're not used to playing in a fifth game yet."
After Brodhead took a 2-0 lead, the Vikings went on a 9-3 run, forcing a Brodhead time out. After the teams split four points, Ryan took over service and wouldn't relinquish it as Lewis took in the last several points from the end of the bench.
Lewis led Brodhead with 10 kills. Johnson notched seven kills and six digs.
Ebensperger refused to get caught up in losing game five. He was still lamenting the ones that got away in the second and third.
"We have a tendency to play a little too tentative and not go after it," Ebensperger said. "We're playing not to lose, and we've gotta start playing to win. We've gotta work on our killer instinct."
With their six-feet, two-inch middle blocker a spectator, the Cardinals were unable to get through their fourth rotation in the fifth game of a 17-25, 25-21, 25-16, 17-25, 15-7, loss to Orfordville Parkview.
It was the Vikings' first victory over Brodhead since the turn of the millennium. It also reminded Lewis that the 2008 state tournament run is over and 2009 is still very much a work in progress for the freshman-laden club.
"If I'm not in, what am I supposed to do?" Lewis said. "I'm used to having another middle (hitter) that's as good as me or better, so it's a lot different. I'm trying to give them my best encouragement, but it's hard sitting there knowing they're not going to make the best choices, but I'm gonna hope that they do."
The Cardinals (2-2 Rock Valley South), as they did 12 days prior at Big Foot High School, took game one on the road.
"We seem to be ready the first game and we don't click after that," Brodhead coach Eric Ebensperger said. "We turn a switch the first game, we're powerful and we're coming at 'em. We just need to keep it coming and we haven't been able to do that consistently."
While Brodhead's energy slipped in the second and third games, the Vikings (3-1 RVC) overcame the sort of slow start coach Kurt Kirchenwitz has gotten used to in his seven years as Vikings skipper.
"We're a really slow-starting team, and we give away a lot of points early," Kirchenwitz said. "But I would rather have them swing away and make hitting errors because we've been a very passive team for years."
The Cardinals rallied with four straight points to lead game two 19-18 before Kirchenwitz called a time out. His Vikings responded, led by kill leaders Sabrina Suiter (10) and Breanna Ryan (9). Libero Jasmine Koch, meanwhile, gave her team every opportunity to succeed with 30 digs.
Brodhead took a 3-0 lead in the third game as Lewis rifled a game-opening kill and Amanda Pickel added an ace before a Vikings net foul. The Cards later led 11-9, thanks to Amanda Johnson rattling back-to-back kills through double blocks and laying out for several impressive digs.
But the Vikings put together two strings of four unanswered points to rally and take the lead two games to one.
"We came out wanting it and then we played not to lose," Lewis said. "We think we've got it in the bag."
The Cardinals took game four behind a 6-1 surge to open the game. Despite committing their third rotation violation, all was forgiven for Brodhead when Johnson placed a double-clutch spike kill along the left boundary around a double block.
The match was even - on paper. But Lewis saw a very different Vikings team entering the finale.
"I think they were hungry and played to win," Lewis said. "We're young, and we're not used to playing in a fifth game yet."
After Brodhead took a 2-0 lead, the Vikings went on a 9-3 run, forcing a Brodhead time out. After the teams split four points, Ryan took over service and wouldn't relinquish it as Lewis took in the last several points from the end of the bench.
Lewis led Brodhead with 10 kills. Johnson notched seven kills and six digs.
Ebensperger refused to get caught up in losing game five. He was still lamenting the ones that got away in the second and third.
"We have a tendency to play a little too tentative and not go after it," Ebensperger said. "We're playing not to lose, and we've gotta start playing to win. We've gotta work on our killer instinct."
