No ordinary setter; Schieffert exposes Knight defense

By JEREMY BEHNKE

Journal Sports Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- Sleepy Eye setter Kristi Schieffert isn't a one-dimensional setter by any means.

In fact, she not only dished out 37 set assists Thursday against Sleepy Eye St. Mary's, she caught the Knights' defense by surprise several times with another weapon of hers -- the tip.

Schieffert's strong all-around game was instrumental in her team's 23-25, 25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 15-10 nonconference win over its crosstown rival.

"We were so pumped up," Schieffert said. "We've been pumped up all week. Actually, since we played them the first time we were pumped up to beat them again."

"St. Mary's was really scrappy," Sleepy Eye coach Kris Bloedel said. "They picked up a lot of stuff that we threw at them. It was a great match, and I just thought that our girls came out and worked hard for it."

Schieffert finished with 10 kills, 11 digs and two blocks to go along with her 37 assists.

The Indians jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first game thanks to Jessie Zuhlsdorf's kill, but the Knights didn't get down and tied it at 7-7 on Jonalyn Cook's ace serve. Later, Krista Armbruster's kill gave the Knights a 17-14 lead. The Indians took a 23-22 lead on Charlotte McMullen's kill, but another Armbruster kill gave the Knights a 25-23 win.

"We sometimes have a hard time getting started," Schieffert said. "But we got together and knew we were going to do it."

"I thought that they had a lot of very nice blocks," Schieffert said. "However, I think we had just as much, if not better blocks, and we played very well."

Schieffert used the tip to her advantage in the second game to go up 10-4. Another Schieffert kill put the Indians up 21-18 and once again, Schieffert's ace tip to the middle of the floor gave the Indians a 24-20 lead. The Indians hung on to win 25-22 on McMullen's kill.

"I don't usually see it right away," she said. "Usually coach Bloedel or coach Haala points it out, but as a setter, I know where the setter goes and where they tried not to go. That's just basically where I tried to put it."

"Kristi's a really smart setter," Bloedel said. "She knows she's going to find the hot hitter and she knows that she has the green light to take the tip whenever she wants to."

Sleepy Eye jumped out to a 5-0 lead in Game 3 thanks to two ace serves by McMullen. McMullen helped her team's cause with an ace tip that made it 15-10 and a kill that made it 22-15.

Fittingly, McMullen finished the game with another kill that made it 25-22.

In Game 4, Raina Walters' kill gave the Knights a 11-10 lead. Then, on a loose ball, Armbruster slammed home a kill that made it 22-21. St. Mary's had come back from three points down and won 25-22 on Armbruster's kill.

"We knew we had to stop her; that was the big thing tonight," Bloedel said. "My middles did a good job. They got a lot of touches on her and a lot of blocks on her. She's a good hitter. She's going to get her kills."

Schieffert was disappointed her team blew the lead and said her team didn't want to play the extra game.

"That's always hard, especially against these guys," Schieffert said. "We didn't want to take it to that fifth game, because we can't get to 15 as quick as we can get to 25. We just had some momentum going, so I'm glad we pulled it off."

St. Mary's caught the early momentum in the decisive game and went up 2-0 on Armbruster's kill. Then, with the score tied at 3-3, Sleepy Eye went on a five point run to make it 8-3. Sleepy Eye hung on to win after Armbruster's kill attempt went into the net, making it 15-10.

"I thought it was an excellent game," St. Mary's coach Stef Whittet said. "We kind of got ourselves into some ruts. We were down almost every game by six points, but they kept plugging and they kept going. I'm not disappointed at all. I'm very proud of the girls."

Amanda Helget had 44 set assist, 12 digs and 10 service points for the Knights. Armbruster finished with 24 kills and five blocks and Walters added 17 kills, nine digs and nine service points. Sadie Sabatino finished with 22 digs and four service points and Cook had four kills, 18 digs, and six service points. Brynn Braulick had 10 service points and six digs for the Knights.

For the Indians, Allie Deibele had 10 kills and 13 digs and Zuhlsdorf had 16 kills, two blocks and 10 digs. Trista Belseth had 19 service points, four ace serves and 23 digs. McMullen had 11 kills, five blocks and 13 digs and Elisabeth Piotter had seven kills and five blocks.

Sleepy Eye (15-5-1) hosts McLeod West Tuesday and St. Mary's (10-10) is in the Subway Tournament Saturday in Marshall.