Zalma captures Woodland volleyball tourney crown

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- When practice began this fall Zalma volleyball coach Dwyght Ford began encouraging senior Torie VanGennip to use her jump serve during games.

"I just started practicing jump serving this year," VanGennip said. "I didn't think I was going to get to do it in a game, and then coach ended up telling me that's all I do unless he tells me not to do it."

Ford's advice paid off Friday night as VanGennip's jump serving helped Zalma upset top-seeded Leopold 16-25, 27-25, 25-15 in the championship match of the Woodland volleyball tournament.

VanGennip walked behind the red line and prepared to serve in the second game with the score tied 25-25.

"I was so nervous," she said. "I just knew I had to get it over."

She smacked two perfectly placed aces between Leopold defenders to force a third winner-take-all game.

VanGennip continued her strong serving in the third game, including putting six consecutive jump serves over the net to give Zalma a 7-1 lead.

"We didn't finish it," Leopold coach Sandy Davis said. "When you get down like that, it's hard to come back against a good team like Zalma. That's where these girls have to work on staying up and not letting them get five or six points in a row."

Leopold cut Zalma's lead to 11-8 midway through the third game. Zalma followed Leopold's run with a 9-3 run to take a 20-11 lead.

With the Bulldogs ahead 24-15, VanGennip's sister Lorie VanGennip laced a set between two defenders to capture the title.

"It felt amazing just to know what I had accomplished for the team," Lorie VanGennip said.

It was the first time Zalma had won the tournament since 2000, according to tournament officials.

"Leopold has dominated for years," Ford said. "I don't want to take anything away from Leopold. They played really well tonight. My girls have got so much talent, and I have to give all the credit to whoever coached them and showed them how to do the things that they do because I didn't show them that. I just taught them how to win."

Leopold senior Abby Landewee helped the Wildcats win the first game in convincing fashion. She finished with three blocks and 11 kills in the match.

"I was just trying to do what I thought I needed to for us to be able to win," Landewee said.

Davis said she is confident her team, currently ranked No. 5 in the Class 1 state poll, will improve.

"We've got a lot of work to do but that's why they call it practice," Davis said.

Lesta Newberry had four blocks and five kills for Zalma. Lorie VanGennip finished with five kills and Torie VanGennip served seven aces.

"It's been 20 years since the last Zalma team went to state," Newberry said. "2010 is our year. We are going all the way."

Third-place match

Meadow Heights defeated Advance 25-13, 25-17 to capture third place.

Erin Bollmann led the Panthers with seven kills and three blocks, while Whitney Welker had five kills and one block for Meadow Heights (2-1).

Consolation match

Saxony Lutheran defeated Woodland 25-23, 25-14 in the consolation final.

Jordan Hoff had 10 digs for the Crusaders, while Natalie Mueller and Lacey Hemman both had eight digs.