Arcola volleyball places fourth in LPC tourney
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By Mike Monahan
ARTHUR –The Arcola volleyball team did something it had not done since 2007 and that something was advance to the final four of the conference tournament. The Lady Riders ended up playing for third place after losing to the eventual champion, Decatur Unity Christian (25-12, 25-13) a team that is 28-0 after knocking off Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond in the championship 25-17, 25-19.
Arcola beat Sullivan earlier in the season, Sept. 24, by the scores of 17-25, 25-19, 25-20. However, Thursday the Lady Redskins came away with a 25-13, 25-19 triumph for third place.
“It is nice that we made the Final Four, but we have to play better,” said Arcola coach Katy Whisman. “Right now we are having issues playing team volleyball and that is killing us.”
Arocla broke the third tie with three straight points as Maddie Pilkington earned the serve after a tip. Pilkington served two points for a 9-6 advantage, which included a kill by Ema Simpson. However, Sullivan took control with 12 unanswered points, including 11 by Mae Dawkins (2 aces) for an 18-9 lead.
In the second set Sulivan continued to play well, scoring nine of the first 11 points. Arcola still trailed by seven, 20-13, when they rallied to within four, 21-17. That was as close as they would get.
“We had too many serves at bad times (finished with seven bad serves in the match),” said Whisman. “I talked about the last five points in a game when you can’t miss those serves. When the opposing team has 20 points you have to make sure you get the serves over. The big thing for us is energy. We had it at the beginning of the first set, but then lost it and could not get it back. Hopefully we will be able to reset and finish out the regular season stronger.”
Arcola played at Okaw Valley Tuesday as they returned to regular season LPC action. The Lady Riders host Blue Ridge Thursday.
Unity Christian def. Arcola 25-12, 25-13
Kacie Sisk led the team in kills with six, while Ava Simpson had a team-high seven digs and Hayden Gauna led in aces with two.
Arcola never led, but were tied with the Lions once in the first set and twice in the second set.
Unity Chrisitan had 22 kills, including nine by Mallory Harrison. The Lions also had 13 aces, including six by Cameron Brown.
5th annual Lincoln Prairie Conference Tournament at Arthur
Thursday’s result; Sullivan def. Arcola 25-13, 25-19, 3rd place game; Oct. 8 result: Unity Christian def. Arcola 25-12, 25-13; Oct. 7 Arcola def Blue Ridge 25-13, 25-18; Arcola def. Argenta-Oreana 25-21, 20-25, 15-15
Tournament totals
ARCOLA: Ava Simpson 10 aces, 7 kills, 45 assists, 34 digs; Ema Simpson 4 aces, 6 kills, 18 digs; Hayden Gauna 7 aces, 10 kills; Kacie Sisk 7 aces, 30 kills, 2 blocks, 23 digs; Kiera Leal 3 aces, 7 kills, Maddie Pilkington 6 kills, 19 digs, Shelby Roberts-McGheeon 10 digs; Yosy Gauana 2 digs; Jolena King 2 digs; Lucia Gonzaalez 1 block; Nohmei Vasquez 4 digs