CEDAR RAPIDS — This wasn’t how the season was supposed to end.
Elgin Public-Pope John saw their season come to an abrupt end Tuesday night as Riverside won the big points in the fifth set to win the match 26-24, 23-25, 25-20, 21-25 and 16-14.
In a season where the Wolfpack barely won more games than they lost, on this night they produced their best effort of the season. The only difference in the match was the Chargers found a way to win the big points, capitalizing on Wolfpack errors at crucial times in the match
Coach Jordynn Luettel, just moments after the conclusion of the match, said the Wolfpack played their best match of the season. “I’ve been talking to the girls all year that we’ve got to peak at postseason,” Luettel said. “I think that’s what we did. I’m really proud of the way we played the last two nights (Twin River and Riverside). We were firing on all cylinders and we just had some mistakes at the wrong time.”
Having split the first four sets, it all came down to the fifth set – a battle to 15.
The score was tied at 6-all when the Chargers put together a four-to-one run to take a 10 to 7 lead. Then, after EPPJ closed the margin to just one point, 10 to 9, Riverside bolted to a 13 to nine lead, just two points away from the match.
It was do-or-die time and EPPJ responded with back-to-back kills by Braelyn Martinsen. Riverside answered back with a perfectly-placed tip and then served for the match at 14 to 11. EPPJ won the next three points to tie the score at 14-all.
That’s as close as they would get as Riverside capitalized on two Wolfpack errors to claim the match.
Earlier in the match, in the first set, the Wolfpack saw a great opportunity to jump ahead slip away. After a kill by Mady Kurpgeweit gave EPPJ set point at 24 to 22. But it wasn’t meant to be as Riverside closed out the set with four straight points behind #10. If the Wolfpack had won the set, they might have won the match as they won two of the next three sets when sophomore Jael Lammers found success at the net.
“Our girls showed fight and grit (all night). They just never gave up.”
Assessing the team’s performance against the Chargers, Luettel said the Wolfpack’s serve receive was ‘rocky’ the first couple of sets. “That first ball is essential to setting up and then being able to be aggressive and take them (Riverside) out of their system. Cleaning up that first ball would have helped. But, other than that, they (EPPJ) just fought, they gave it their all.”
A review of the statistics showed just how great the Wolfpack attack was in the match. EPPJ recorded 67 kills on 191 swings with just 26 errors. Three EPPJ hitters finished in double figures with kills, led by Martinsen with 25, Kurpgeweit had 21 and Lammers added 15. Both Moser girls each had three kills.
….see more at this week’s Elgin Review.
