Sikeston defeats Campbell, 3-1, for first regular season win

SIKESTON, MO. — The Sikeston volleyball team spiked, dug and dinked its way into the win column, clinching its first regular season win with a 3-1 victory over Campbell at the Sikeston Junior High School on Monday, September 11.

The Lady Bulldogs (3-6-2) secured the win with set scores of 25-19, 25-15, 18-25 and 25-17 over the Lady Camels (2-7-2).

“This weekend gave us some confidence,” said Sikeston coach Marc Jannin. “It helped us out with a boost and the girls played well. Heidi Self had some good passes in the first set to help get us started. Breonna Williams and Kennedy Watson came up big too. They were running a quick attack and it was pretty successful so we kept going to it.”

Sikeston's Dani Martinez (18) goes for a dig�during a 3-1 win over Campbell at the Sikeston Junior High School on Monday, September 11, 2023.�Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat

Williams showed growth in her mechanics and techniques, transitioning from a solely power-focused approach to a more precise and controlled style.

“We preached to be smarter with our hitting,” Jannin said. “Williams has done a good job of being smart at the net and doing what she is supposed to do.”

Among the many positive takeaways, is the emergence of freshman Aubreigh Landers as an exceptional outside hitter proved to be a significant bright spot for Sikeston.

Sikeston's Aubreigh Landers (23) goes up for a spike during a 3-1 win over Campbell at the Sikeston Junior High School on Monday, September 11, 2023.�Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat

Landers showcased great power and accuracy with her hitting, cementing her position as a standout player.

“[Landers] came up pretty big for us,” Jannin said. “She’s gaining confidence with each game and she’s going to be pretty good for us in the future. She’s pretty tall and that helps us out a lot. She’s doing great.”

The Lady Bulldogs also benefited from solid contributions from Danielle Martinez, Rudy Osborn and Hailee Barber.

Sikeston's Heidi Self (30) celebrates with teammates�during a 3-1 win over Campbell at the Sikeston Junior High School on Monday, September 11, 2023.�Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat

“Everybody played a part tonight,” Jannin said. “[Martinez] did good and has been working hard on making some improvements to her game. [Rudy Obsorn] had some good plays. [Hailee Barber] came up huge for us on the right side. She had some good swings and was smart. But as a team overall, we just communicated a lot better and adjusted to how they were attacking.”

Sikeston initially built a commanding lead in the third set, only to face a determined resurgence by Campbell. The Lady Camels rallied back to level the score at 15-15, ultimately overpowering the Lady Bulldogs and securing the set victory.

“We definitely relaxed,” Jannin said. “We talked about it, but it’s hard for us to have that ‘killer instinct’ to close games out because usually we are on the other end. We talked about it and learned a lesson tonight.”

Sikeston's Kennedy Watson (26) serves�during a 3-1 win over Campbell at the Sikeston Junior High School on Monday, September 11, 2023.�Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat

Undeterred by the setback, Sikeston responded in the fourth set.

“We had some leadership take over in the final set,” Jannin said. “Our seniors stepped up and got us that first win. We adjusted well and the girls did an excellent job of listening and executing the gameplan.”

Self, displaying athleticism and defensive skills, made a game-clinching moment with a remarkable diving dig-kill, securing the final point of the match in a truly thrilling fashion.

“[Self] did a great job,” Jannin said. “Everyone else kind of quit on the play and Campbell thought it was over with, but she gave it a shot and put her body on the line. It went in and it was awesome. It was a pretty cool play.”

Sikeston also competed in the Saint Francis Healthcare Dig For Life Tournament this past weekend.

The Lady Bulldogs split matches 1-1 with Malden (4-6-2) and Leopold (10-1-2) in pool play. The team went on to defeat Campbell with set scores of 25-17 and 25-15, and Holcomb (8-3-1) with set scores of 21-24, 26-24 and 25-17 before falling to Bunker (5-3-1) in the Black Divison Silver Bracket semifinals 23-25, 25=28 and 25-23.

“Super proud of the girls,” Jannin said. “We had a few underclassmen shine and gain confidence in the tournament. I think it was a huge step in the right direction for our team to get some wins under our belts and continue to improve on them.”

Sikeston hosts Ellington (4-4-2) on Tuesday, September 12, and Poplar Bluff (1-6-2) on Thursday, September 14.