Scott City takes down Sikeston in straight sets on Senior Night

SCOTT CITY, Mo. — In a disappointing match, Sikeston volleyball suffered a decisive 3-0 defeat at Scott City on Thursday, September 21.

The Lady Rams (6-5-1) celebrated Senior Night with the win over the Lady Bulldogs (4-11-2) in set scores of 25-13, 25-18 and 25-15.

“The game didn’t go well,” said Sikeston coach Marc Jannin. “Overall, our talk and intensity never wavered and we never gave up. I was proud of them for that.”

Sikeston was dealt a serious blow when senior standout, Dani Martinez, was forced to leave the game due to an apparent injury, leaving a void in the lineup and impacting the team’s overall performance.

“We did a great job of staying focused and adjusted after the injury,” Jannin said. “Had some girls that had to play different positions than what they are used to playing. Both teams had some great defense plays and there were some long rallies which was exciting.

“Our standouts would have to be Heidi Self and Bailey Null,” he continued. “They played exceptional defense and Heidi gave a huge effort on every play and kept our defense organized. Kennedy Watson who is usually our setter, had to set and be our right side last night in the rotation we were running due to the injury, so kudos to her for being able to do that.”

Scott City’s top performers were Alyssa Dirden (11 digs, eight kills and four aces), Maggie Jones (14 kills), Layla Estees (15 digs) and Ramsey Spinks (39 assists).

“We came out on fire,” said Scott City coach Cindy Henry. “Last night, all energy and effort was on board. We have four seniors who are critical to our success.

“Our freshman Libero Layla Estes had a few key hustle plays that allowed our offense to generate energy when attacking the ball,” she continued. “The dynamics between our attackers and our setter are starting to come together. We are using our forces in the front and back rows. Alyssa Dirden has been a four-year standout in the volleyball program and did not disappoint last night as she was putting balls down from the front and back row.”

Sikeston travels to Portageville (18-2-2), while Scott City plays at Leopold (14-3-2) on Monday, September 25.