Positives come out of three-set nonconference loss to Carlyle

VANDALIA – Though the final roll shot of the match didn’t quite make it over the net, it was hard to be disappointed at the attempt.

Junior Ally Sasse’s shot bounced into the net, but that she had the awareness to see open floor space on the other side of the court still left coach Allison Hall pleased last Thursday despite a 25-18, 16-25, 23-25 loss to Carlyle.

“We have been taking about that,” Hall said. “Looking at the court and watching where the open hits are.

“They are starting to see that with more experience in varsity games, and at this point in the season, that’s what you want them to do.”

Sasse’s final attack wasn’t the only well-placed attempt on the night, as junior Johanna Walton precisely placed several of her team-high 11 kills – including three tips.

The tally matched her career-high, which she set during the season-opener, and the game could get her back on track after she posted just eight kills in the previous four matches.

The loss – Vandalia’s fourth straight and sixth in seven matches – was well-played, with the Lady Vandals (14-12) showing the intensity that had been lacking of late and pushing the Lady Indians to a tight third set.

“I still thought we played well,” Hall said. “I thought we came out and played really well in the first game, then kind of slacked off in the second game and made quite a few errors, and then in the third game, we came back and played well.”

Vandalia jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first set, getting three kills, three aces and a block along the way.

Carlyle wouldn’t get closer than four points for the rest of the set, but did outscore the Lady Vandals, 7-3, over the final 10 points.

That momentum carried into the second set, with the Lady Indians sprinting out to a 14-6 lead and not looking back.

In the third set, however, the match was close throughout, with 10 ties between 5-5 and 21-21, but just four lead changes.

Carlyle got to a match-point serve at 24-21, but an attack error and an ace by senior Brandy Protz got the Lady Vandals back within a point to force a Lady Indians timeout. The ace gives Protz one in each of the past three games.

After volleying for a few rounds, Sasse saw an opening on the right side of Carlyle’s court, and tried to roll her attack that way from the opposite side of Vandalia’s side.

It’s those types of shots that Vandalia will need to continue seeing as the season winds down, with the regional tournament beginning next Monday.

“We’ve been talking about improving each and every game, and we’ve continued to get better every game,” Hall said. “That’s all that I can ask for.

“We’re not worried about our record,” she said. “We’re worried about getting better between now and the end.”

Notes: Sophomore Makayla Tinker recorded her 50th career kill during the match … The 29 kills by the Lady Vandals are the most in a game since recording 35 on Oct. 8, and the fourth-highest total on the season … Junior Jessica Booker tied her career-high with four service aces in the match.

Thursday, Oct. 17
Vandalia 25, Carlyle 18
Carlyle 25, Vandalia 16
Carlyle 25, Vandalia 23
Kills: Walton, 11; Godoyo, 6; Sasse, 5; Metzger, 4; Booker, 1; Reynolds, 1; Tinker, 1.
Aces: Booker, 4; Godoyo, 1; Metzger, 1; Protz, 1; Sullens, 1.
Assists: Sullens, 24; Godoyo, 1.
Blocks: Walton, 2½; Metzger, 2; Tinker, ½.
Record: 14-12
JV: Vandalia lost, 20-25, 23-25.
F/S: Vandalia lost, 14-25, 18-25.