ARGYLE - Focus is one of the key intangibles in sports. The great ones find a way to have it all the time, regardless of who they are facing and any outside variables.
After an epic 5-game loss to Monticello on Tuesday - which was essentially for the Six Rivers East crown - plus homecoming activities throughout the week, the Argyle volleyball team took debatably more than one step back in a 3-0 win over rival Pecatonica on Parent's Night Thursday.
"Or two, or three steps slow. Homecoming week can be a bit hard on them, though," Argyle coach Shane Johnson said. "We did enough and that's really about it. They did what they had to do. It looks the same in the books."
Despite the sweep, Johnson said his team "wasn't all there" and didn't get going until a rare kick save in the third set.
"There was no sense of urgency," Johnson said. "I expect a little bit more from them all the time. I don't see any real good reason to let up when you are not playing teams that are the top of the conference."
Trailing 14-9 with all of its starters still on the floor, Kayla Ostby stuck her foot out near the net after two teammates had badly smacked the ball around trying to secure possession. Ostby's "kick save and a beaut" surprised the Vikings on the other side, and the Orioles brought it back to within four.
"That was a momentum swing. That really got some energy going," Johnson said.
That sparked an 11-1 run that gave Argyle a commanding lead and the momentum to carry itself to a 25-22 final.
"Danielle (Treuthardt) followed through with some really nice serves," Johnson said of his senior, who served nine straight times during the run. "That's some of the senior leadership right there, showing that she knows to hit it where she's supposed to."
Argyle had won the first two games 25-20 and 25-17, though Game 2 was a 22-9 blowout before the reserves started getting floor time. Even still, Johnson knows his team has a lot to build off of.
"I think we got exposed for some of the things we need to work on," Johnson said. "I think after the weekend is over we'll get back at it. The girls know that they need to focus because we have some big matches ahead of us yet."
Pecatonica coach Cher Schliem said her team knew what kind of talent and experience they were up against. In the end, Schliem said she was happy with how well her girls played.
"We gave them a run. That's what we wanted to do," Schliem said. "I was pleased with how we played. A lot of times it wasn't good enough. We made some defensive adjustment's because we knew what they were going to bring.
"We tried to get after it, but you can never always have an answer for it."
Abby Flanagan led all players with eight kills for Argyle. Flanagan also had two blocks. Treuthardt had five aces, Micala Peterson and Kayla Ostby each had 12 digs, and Ostby added 22 assists.
"We serve receive a ton in practice. We do a lot of drills," said Schliem, whose team handled one of Argyle's bread-and-butter offenses - the jump serve - with above average success. "We try to simulate that as much as possible and learn how to react. We wanted them to earn a point. We did a good job of not giving them the easy ones."
For Pecatonica, Michelle Francois had 17 assists, Lizzy Britt scored four kills, Ashley Johnson notched three blocks, Michelle Boese nailed four aces and Allison Swenson added 10 digs.
The rivalry match was just another bragging-rights game between the two schools. Co-oping in several sports from youths through high school, the individuals from each team know their opponent's personally.
"I would say it's most like playing your sister. There's nobody you like to hang around better, but there's nobody else you'd rather beat," Schliem said. "It always makes for an interesting game. It shoots the energy up and you don't have to really fire them up to play."
Last week was Pecatonica's homecoming, which was celebrated with a Pec-Argyle football win over Belmont in Blanchardville. This Saturday, the Vikings host Highland in Argyle, and the girls will once again be screaming together in the stands.
After an epic 5-game loss to Monticello on Tuesday - which was essentially for the Six Rivers East crown - plus homecoming activities throughout the week, the Argyle volleyball team took debatably more than one step back in a 3-0 win over rival Pecatonica on Parent's Night Thursday.
"Or two, or three steps slow. Homecoming week can be a bit hard on them, though," Argyle coach Shane Johnson said. "We did enough and that's really about it. They did what they had to do. It looks the same in the books."
Despite the sweep, Johnson said his team "wasn't all there" and didn't get going until a rare kick save in the third set.
"There was no sense of urgency," Johnson said. "I expect a little bit more from them all the time. I don't see any real good reason to let up when you are not playing teams that are the top of the conference."
Trailing 14-9 with all of its starters still on the floor, Kayla Ostby stuck her foot out near the net after two teammates had badly smacked the ball around trying to secure possession. Ostby's "kick save and a beaut" surprised the Vikings on the other side, and the Orioles brought it back to within four.
"That was a momentum swing. That really got some energy going," Johnson said.
That sparked an 11-1 run that gave Argyle a commanding lead and the momentum to carry itself to a 25-22 final.
"Danielle (Treuthardt) followed through with some really nice serves," Johnson said of his senior, who served nine straight times during the run. "That's some of the senior leadership right there, showing that she knows to hit it where she's supposed to."
Argyle had won the first two games 25-20 and 25-17, though Game 2 was a 22-9 blowout before the reserves started getting floor time. Even still, Johnson knows his team has a lot to build off of.
"I think we got exposed for some of the things we need to work on," Johnson said. "I think after the weekend is over we'll get back at it. The girls know that they need to focus because we have some big matches ahead of us yet."
Pecatonica coach Cher Schliem said her team knew what kind of talent and experience they were up against. In the end, Schliem said she was happy with how well her girls played.
"We gave them a run. That's what we wanted to do," Schliem said. "I was pleased with how we played. A lot of times it wasn't good enough. We made some defensive adjustment's because we knew what they were going to bring.
"We tried to get after it, but you can never always have an answer for it."
Abby Flanagan led all players with eight kills for Argyle. Flanagan also had two blocks. Treuthardt had five aces, Micala Peterson and Kayla Ostby each had 12 digs, and Ostby added 22 assists.
"We serve receive a ton in practice. We do a lot of drills," said Schliem, whose team handled one of Argyle's bread-and-butter offenses - the jump serve - with above average success. "We try to simulate that as much as possible and learn how to react. We wanted them to earn a point. We did a good job of not giving them the easy ones."
For Pecatonica, Michelle Francois had 17 assists, Lizzy Britt scored four kills, Ashley Johnson notched three blocks, Michelle Boese nailed four aces and Allison Swenson added 10 digs.
The rivalry match was just another bragging-rights game between the two schools. Co-oping in several sports from youths through high school, the individuals from each team know their opponent's personally.
"I would say it's most like playing your sister. There's nobody you like to hang around better, but there's nobody else you'd rather beat," Schliem said. "It always makes for an interesting game. It shoots the energy up and you don't have to really fire them up to play."
Last week was Pecatonica's homecoming, which was celebrated with a Pec-Argyle football win over Belmont in Blanchardville. This Saturday, the Vikings host Highland in Argyle, and the girls will once again be screaming together in the stands.
