Knights sweep GHEC

By PAUL DUNLAP

Journal Sports Editor

SLEEPY EYE -- It's the way a top seed should look entering postseason play.

The Sleepy Eye St. Mary's volleyball team needed just 49 minutes Thursday night, disposing of eighth-seeded Granada-Huntley-East Chain 15-3, 15-3, 15-1 in Section 2-1A, South Sub-section quarterfinal action.

"One thing we were disappointed in, and we've been pounding it into the girls' heads, is defense," Knight coach Becky Mathiowetz said. "We're still a little hesitant going for balls, and there were a few times where our hitters were in a funk ... they started backing off and got a little too comfortable. Those are the only two things we want to work on at this point."

The Mustangs actually began with the first three points of the match as Rachel Wilkinson's ace serve started the string -- but that would be the extent of the scare. Jamie Eickhoff served seven straight points, punctuated by three Nicole Steffl kills, as St. Mary's reeled off 15 straight points for the 1-0 game lead. Erin Scherer would also add two point-kills during the string.

"We came out a little shaky ... you're always nervous come playoff time," Mathiowetz said. "We've never had the problem of being overconfident. It's getting the confidence and believing in themselves is what we need to work at and carry it through the rest of the playoffs."

The string of consecutive points would reach 21 as Sarah Haala served the Knights to a 6-0 lead in game two, helped by two Scherer kills. Ace serves by GHEC's Stephanie Schultz and Carry Cyphers ended the run, but Scherer then served five straight points and St. Mary's was in control again. A Crystal Domeier ace serve propelled the Knights on a four-point run for the 2-0 game lead.

"That's realistically what we should have done in the first game," Mathiowetz said when asked about the Knights taking control. "Once we get our offense going, teams shouldn't be able to stop it. If our hitters hit hard and are aggressive at the net, we're going to be OK.

"I also had our setter (Haala) speed it up a little bit, run some more plays like quicks to the outside, and it worked well."

Any hope the Mustangs had evaporated quickly as St. Mary's -- behind the serving of Scherer and Domeier -- scored the first 12 points of game three. Steffl would have four kills and an ace block in the run. A Schultz kill would be the only point GHEC would get as kills from Emily Schroepfer and Scherer closed out the match.

"We need to keep this confidence for the remainder of the tournament," Mathiowetz said.

St. Mary's, now 16-8 on the season, will face the Comfrey/Madelia winner Saturday, 6 p.m., in St. James in semifinal action.