JUDA - After winning its first conference match since 2006, Juda was getting excited for Parents Night against Pecatonica - one of the best teams in the Six Rivers East.
Though the Panthers gave it a ride, Pec prevailed in four games, 25-15, 20-25, 25-17, 25-23.
"Emotionally, we're going up and down like a roller coaster," Juda head coach Pam Green said about the season. "I just hope we can get on the high note again here shortly because the season's almost over. All I can ask is we can play well."
Juda looked like spoilers early in the first game, taking a 10-8 lead. The Vikings then rattled off seven straight points to take a 15-11 lead, and finished on a 10-4 run.
"We wanted to be aggressive," Pecatonica co-coach Cher Schliem said.
Despite the late-game slide, Juda kept high hopes headed into the second game. Both teams tussled back and forth early on with Pec holding a 7-4 lead after three straight aces by Brittany Kent. Then Juda found its groove. The Panthers took the next seven points, and 10-of-11 to lead 14-8. Before long, Juda was up 20-11.
Pecatonica rallied back and pulled the score close before a well-placed bump by Katie Bundy put the score at 24-20. Bundy then sent a spike to the floor to even the match score a play later.
"We tried some changes. We weren't consistently aggressive as we would like to be and had trouble serving at times which gave us some letdowns," Schliem said. "We're looking to step up our game a little bit more and we didn't step it up quite enough.
In the third game, both teams exchanged mini-runs. After being tied 9-9, Pec senior Morgan Pien served the Vikings through seven points, and soon after, Juda trailed 19-10. The Panthers worked the score back to within five points at 21-16 before the Vikings closed out the game and took a 2-1 match lead.
In the fourth game, Pec started just as hot, jumping out to a 4-1 lead. Juda rumbled back to bring the deficit to one point at 8-7 and tied the match at 13-13. The Vikings rattled off five straight points that appeared to be the dagger. However, the pesky Panthers worked their way back with some great digs from Heather Boeke and great serving and tied up the score at 21-21.
Pecatonica got a kill from Kaitlyn Linder and Juda failed to return the next volley. Green then called a time-out and rounded up the troops. Juda took two of the next three before Pec pounded out the final point and the win.
"I think we're satisfied with the win, but not overly excited about it," Pec co-coach Barb Ruegsegger said. "We're still looking for that big game."
"I just wish we played a little better in that fourth game," Green said. "We got kind of flat there for a little while and it hurt us. Overall (the game) was good, but I was hungry for the win and I wish we could have gotten it. Two in a row would have been nice."
For Pecatonica, Kent finished the night with 15 digs, 11 kills and nine aces. Pien had 18 assists and 17 digs.
"(Kent) is just a really good all-around player. She's a good leader on the floor and a lot of what she does goes unseen and unsaid. She's the glue," Schliem said.
For Juda, McKenzie Swaag had 24 assists, Boeke had 18 digs and Bundy added eight kills.
"Heather Boeke in game four was just trying to get us that win. She's definitely playing hard. I can't say enough about that girl. She's hitting the floor, blocking, hitting, serving - she does all the aspects of volleyball. And being a taller girl, you don't always expect that," Green said.
Pecatonica (7-2 Six Rivers East) travels to Black Hawk (8-0) on Thursday while Juda (1-8) goes to Barneveld (4-4).
Though the Panthers gave it a ride, Pec prevailed in four games, 25-15, 20-25, 25-17, 25-23.
"Emotionally, we're going up and down like a roller coaster," Juda head coach Pam Green said about the season. "I just hope we can get on the high note again here shortly because the season's almost over. All I can ask is we can play well."
Juda looked like spoilers early in the first game, taking a 10-8 lead. The Vikings then rattled off seven straight points to take a 15-11 lead, and finished on a 10-4 run.
"We wanted to be aggressive," Pecatonica co-coach Cher Schliem said.
Despite the late-game slide, Juda kept high hopes headed into the second game. Both teams tussled back and forth early on with Pec holding a 7-4 lead after three straight aces by Brittany Kent. Then Juda found its groove. The Panthers took the next seven points, and 10-of-11 to lead 14-8. Before long, Juda was up 20-11.
Pecatonica rallied back and pulled the score close before a well-placed bump by Katie Bundy put the score at 24-20. Bundy then sent a spike to the floor to even the match score a play later.
"We tried some changes. We weren't consistently aggressive as we would like to be and had trouble serving at times which gave us some letdowns," Schliem said. "We're looking to step up our game a little bit more and we didn't step it up quite enough.
In the third game, both teams exchanged mini-runs. After being tied 9-9, Pec senior Morgan Pien served the Vikings through seven points, and soon after, Juda trailed 19-10. The Panthers worked the score back to within five points at 21-16 before the Vikings closed out the game and took a 2-1 match lead.
In the fourth game, Pec started just as hot, jumping out to a 4-1 lead. Juda rumbled back to bring the deficit to one point at 8-7 and tied the match at 13-13. The Vikings rattled off five straight points that appeared to be the dagger. However, the pesky Panthers worked their way back with some great digs from Heather Boeke and great serving and tied up the score at 21-21.
Pecatonica got a kill from Kaitlyn Linder and Juda failed to return the next volley. Green then called a time-out and rounded up the troops. Juda took two of the next three before Pec pounded out the final point and the win.
"I think we're satisfied with the win, but not overly excited about it," Pec co-coach Barb Ruegsegger said. "We're still looking for that big game."
"I just wish we played a little better in that fourth game," Green said. "We got kind of flat there for a little while and it hurt us. Overall (the game) was good, but I was hungry for the win and I wish we could have gotten it. Two in a row would have been nice."
For Pecatonica, Kent finished the night with 15 digs, 11 kills and nine aces. Pien had 18 assists and 17 digs.
"(Kent) is just a really good all-around player. She's a good leader on the floor and a lot of what she does goes unseen and unsaid. She's the glue," Schliem said.
For Juda, McKenzie Swaag had 24 assists, Boeke had 18 digs and Bundy added eight kills.
"Heather Boeke in game four was just trying to get us that win. She's definitely playing hard. I can't say enough about that girl. She's hitting the floor, blocking, hitting, serving - she does all the aspects of volleyball. And being a taller girl, you don't always expect that," Green said.
Pecatonica (7-2 Six Rivers East) travels to Black Hawk (8-0) on Thursday while Juda (1-8) goes to Barneveld (4-4).
