ARGYLE — The Orioles made quick work of the Panthers in their regular- and conference-season finale on Thursday, Oct. 12. The match lasted just over an hour, with Argyle coming out on top 25-12, 25-11, 25-12.
“We wanted to play a faster, more intense game in preparation for our regional game on Tuesday,” senior Alexis Rosenstiel said.
The Orioles started flat, though, trailing the Panthers early 3-1. After a Sadie Steiner dig that landed on Juda’s side, Argyle committed three straight errors. The Orioles tied the set at four and never looked back, taking a 10-4 lead.
In the seven-point rally, Ava Wiegel snuck a tip over on the second ball. Rosenstiel kept momentum on Argyle’s side from the service line, where the senior tallied three aces.
“Serving has not always been my strong suit, but this year, my coaches kept encouraging me to get my serves over,” Rosenstiel said. “Now, I feel a lot better about my serves.”
Brooke Wellnitz and Mya McNett extended Argyle’s lead to 14-6 with kills.
Juda used a small, three-point run to whittle away at Argyle’s lead. In that stretch, Rianna Sullivan had an ace that tipped the net and fell in front of the Oriole back row.
Despite the small push, Argyle went on to win 11 of the final 14 points to take the first set.
Argyle opened the second set with a block but allowed Juda to tie the set with a double call. The Orioles responded quickly, racking up a 9-2 to force Juda head coach Miranda Pollansky to call her first timeout. In the stretch, McNett targeted three different players for aces.
The Orioles rolled through the rest of the set, only giving up points by error.
Although Argyle cruised to a 25-12 victory in the third set, earning the season sweep of Juda, the Panthers played with more life. Sullivan and Briliey Swedlund accounted for two kills each. It was the first offensive points Juda had since Sullivan’s ace in the first set.
“Every little point that they do well brings back a little bit of energy, and any little bit helps,” Pollansky said.
Kylie Butler paced the Oriole offense with nine kills. Avari Steiner tallied five kills, while Wellnitz, Wiegel and Rosenstiel recorded three each. Wiegel distributed the ball, assisting in 18 kills. Argyle racked up 17 aces, led by Rosenstiel with eight. Defensively, the Steiner sisters kept rallies alive with five digs each.
“We were trying to focus on playing our game and the fundamentals because those things are going to be important come next week [playoffs],” Argyle head coach Jen Butler said of Thursday’s game plan.
Argyle will host conference opponent Monticello. The two teams have seen each other three times — once in a tournament and twice in conference. The Orioles hold the advantage over the Ponies 2-1, but senior Sadie Steiner knows not to underestimate her opponent.
“We beat Monticello twice, but it doesn’t mean that they can’t beat us,” she said. “We still have to try hard.”
Meanwhile, Juda will travel to Highland. Although the Panthers have yet to win a game this season, Pollansky hopes her team will enter playoffs with a fresh perspective.
“We are going to come in with open minds and clear the slate,” Pollansky said. “We are playing No. 2 Highland, who we played in the Monticello tournament. We have a feel for what they’ve got. Our defense has improved quite a bit, so I’m excited to see how we do against them.”
ALBANY 3, MONTICELLO 0
ALBANY — The Comets and Ponies concluded their regular seasons with a Six Rivers East match up on Thursday, Oct. 12. Albany defeated Monticello — earning the season sweep — 25-17, 25-19, 25-19. Alana Durtschi led with 16 kills and 22 digs. Anna Ellinger followed with seven kills and 16 digs. Ellie Modaff and Myah Johnson split the setting duties, recording 14 and 12 assists, respectively.
In other local volleyball, Barneveld swept Black Hawk 25-15, 25-13, 25-15. New Glarus also swept Cambridge 29-27, 27-25, 25-18.
