Scott City cash in on intimidation vs. Leopold in battle of state-ranked volleyball teams

Leopold volleyball coach Sandy Davis saw a familiar response from her players while facing host Scott City on Monday night.

"I told them, I said, 'Last year and the year before, it was the same thing,'" Davis said. "They just get so intimidated, but that's something that they're going to have to overcome. I mean, that's just part of volleyball. If they're going to play like that then they're going to get beat. They have got to learn to deal with it."

The Wildcats could not deal with the pressure from Scott City's defense, particularly its block, falling 28-26, 25-10 on the road.

Scott City blockers frequently were able to get their hands on Leopold attacks from the outset, but as the Rams methodically broke down the Wildcats hitters and their tendencies as the match wore on, what mostly had been harmless blocks back into play turned into point-ending stuffs.

"During the first game, they hit cross a lot until we started blocking them cross, then they were hitting line," Scott City middle Katie Hogan said. "But they didn't start changing that until the end of the second game, and by then it was too late."

Scott City's Mikah Simpson hits past Leopold's Mallory James during the first game Monday.

Hogan finished with a haughty 14 blocks in the match, six of which went for kills. Whitney Froman added nine block, including four for kills, while Mikah Simpson contributed seven.

"I think they were a lot more intimidated," Simpson said of Game 2. "They were trying to cut it line instead of cross and they were trying to tip over blocks, and I think it really got to them. I think that hurt them most."

The Rams had extra incentive to fill up the stat sheets Monday night. The players collected pledges from community members to raise money for breast cancer research.

"I have like two whole sheets of pledges," Hogan said. "They're like I'll give you 25 cents a kill or a dollar a kill or whatever."

Hogan said she thought about the fundraising efforts during the match.

Leopold's Sydney Eeftink, center, and Mallory James block a shot by Scott City's Whitney Froman during the first game of Monday's match in Scott City. (Fred Lynch)

"I was thinking every time I get a block, I'm making money," she said.

While Scott City dominated Game 2, the Rams needed a near-miraculous play from Simpson to avoid losing Game 1.

With Leopold leading 24-23, a wild second touch from the Rams shot away from the net and toward Simpson, who was playing defense in the back row.

She tracked to her left and took a one-handed, fist-closed swing at the ball, which then managed not only to sneak over the net but also to land perfectly on the out-of-bounds line, out of the reach of the Wildcats defenders.

The teams, which exchanged scores for 10 points in a row at one point in the first game, then exchanged four more points before Scott City closed out the game.

"I guess we like to make it exciting, unfortunately," Scott City coach Haley Jennings said. "I think it was just the atmosphere. Everybody was a little nervous and tensed up because it's a big game and, you know, Leopold was on. They were hitting at us. We were hitting, too, but not as much as we needed to be."

Scott City's Andy Gray passes the ball during the first game of the match with Leopold Monday, Sept. 27, 2010 at Scott City. (Fred Lynch)

Abby Landewee led Leopold's offense with six kills, while Mallory James added four. Setter Sydney Eeftink had 11 assists.

Simpson led Scott City with 11 kills to go along with 19 digs. Hogan had seven kills and 11 digs, while Mallory Reddick added 19 digs.

The defending Class 2 state champion Rams were ranked third while Leopold has moved up two spots to No. 4 in Class 1 in the latest state rankings released Monday.

Davis rebuked the notion that a tough loss in Game 1 contributed to the Wildcats' collapse in Game 2, saying her team had faced similar situations before.

"I really thought they were going to be a little bit mentally stronger than this, but we just didn't make good choices," Davis said. "Our passes weren't on, our hitters were intimidated and when you play intimidated, you're going to get beat."