Ramsey victorious vs. Mulberry Grove

By Editor | October 17, 2012 |

ST. ELMO – In their second game of the evening, the Lady Rams were better fundamentally and came away with a lot of kills in a win against Mulberry Grove.

Playing at St. Elmo High School in the Egyptian-Illini Conference Tournament, Ramsey had three players with at least six kills, six players had at least one ace and senior Jenna Hunt was consistent with her sets to help the Lady Rams to a 25-21, 25-15 victory.

“I thought we served better, and hit the ball a little bit better,” said coach Kevin Helm.

Seniors Ashley Blankenship and Shaunna Rainey each had seven kills for the Lady Rams (7-11), and senior Elizabeth Hortenstine added six. Hunt had 16 assists.

Mulberry Grove coach Natalie Goestenkors said her team should have more prepared for Ramsey’s style, considering it was the third match against the team this season.

“We have to be ready for anything,” she said. “Ramsey isn’t necessarily a disciplined team, but they always get it over, no matter what it takes.”

The match was tight throughout the first set, with both teams leading several times and neither team leading by more than three points until the final few points.

Hortenstine had back-to-back kills to give Ramsey a 21-17 lead, and Rainey killed off the final point of the match. During the middle of the match, Blankenship had three kills in four points to give Ramsey the lead for good at 17-16.

In the second set, the match was tied at 8-8, but Ramsey would slowly begin to build a lead, with four players earning a kill after that and five players earning at least one service ace.

The teams meet again on Monday in the first round of the regional tournament, and Helm is not looking at that game as an assured victory.

“We play Mulberry first, so we have to worry about getting by them before worrying about St. Elmo,” he said. “We are taking it one match at a time.”

That game will at St. Elmo and begins at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 16
Ramsey 25, M. Grove 21
Ramsey 25, M. Grove 15
Lady Rams
Kills: Blankenship, 7; Rainey, 7; Hortenstine, 6; Rhonda McDonald, 4; Breanna Seaton, 2; Sydney Lay, 1.
Aces: Hunt, 3; Blankenship, 2; Monica Stokes, 2; Skye Kimerlin, 1; Lay, 1; Lauren Whitten, 1.
Assists: Hunt, 16; McDonald, 1.
Block: Hunt, 1.
Record: 7-11
Lady Aces
Kills: Nicole Larson, 3; MarissaHuhn, 1; Skylar Lutz, 1; Karissa Woody, 1.
Assists: Lorri Albert, 2; Huhn, 2; Kylee Bolyard, 1.