Eastern disposes of Bear Lake in district volleyball opener

LDN Staff -

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Lilje was 14 for 14 serving with 11 points and one ace and Wheeler was 20 for 20 with 16 points and two aces.

“In the first game we started out pretty good,” said Eastern coach Bill Cole. “Megan Wheeler served the first six points and then Nichelle Lilje got the next six to put us up 12-2.”

The game then went back and forth. With Eastern leading 17-9, Kada Knizacky got the serve for the Cardinals and closed out the game.

“We served the ball quite well and attacked the ball well,” Cole said of his team’s strong start. “We had a few mistakes but we limited them.”

In game two, Lilje again gave the Cardinals an early lead.

“Nichelle got us up to 6-2 and then we methodically pulled away,” said Cole.

Cole then went to his bench.

“The third game we struggled a little bit. We missed seven serves and had some balls we hit out of bounds and we killed ourselves,” Cole said. “In the fourth game, we went back to the linedup we had for the first couple of games.”

After three servers, Eastern was in front, 10-2, and after four it was 18-4.

“We only missed one serve and our serve receive was good,” said Cole. “If we can pass the ball, attack the ball and set the ball, those are good keys.”

Eastern’s season record is 34-10-4 and the Cardinals will play Frankfort in Thursday’s semifinal round at 7:30 p.m. The championship match wil be played on Thursday.

The Cardinals are the defending district champions.

Alyssa Bryan led Eastern at the net, converting on 17 of 20 attacks with seven kills. Knizacky was 10 for 14 with four kills. Wheeler had four digs and Lilje and Jen Spinner were the top setters with Lilje 16 for 19 and Spinner 15 for 19.

Eastern’s individual statistics:

JEN SPINNER: 1-1 serve; 1-2 serve receive; 4-4 attacks, 1 kill; 15-19 sets.

NIKKI KOLEAN: 4-4 serves, 2 points; 3-3 serve receive; 1-1 attack; 5-8 sets; 1 dig.

ALYSSA BRYAN: 6-9 serves, 5 points, 1 ace; 3-4 serve receive; 17-20 attacks, 7 kills; 1 dig.

JESSICA VANDEVEN: 16-16 serves, 11 points, 4 aces; 3-3 serve receive; 25-30 attacks, 12 kills; 1 block.

AMY VANSLEDRIGHT: 1-2 serves; 2-2 serve receive; 5-7 attacks, 1 kill; 2 digs.

NICHELLE LILJE: 14-14 serves, 11 points, 1 ace; 1-1 serve receive; 4-4 attacks, 3 kills; 16-19 sets.

ALLIE KESSEL: 9-11 serves, 8 points, 4 aces.

MEGAN WHEELER: 20-20 serves, 16 points, 2 aces; 2-3 serve receive; 6-8 attacks, 2 kills; 3 digs.

JESS BUDZYNSKI: 2-4 serves, 2 points; 3-3 serve receive; 3-3 attacks; 13-17 sets; 1 dig.

KINZIE SPENCER: 2-2 serves, 1 point; 0-1 serve receive; 2-4 attacks, 1 kill.

KADA KNIZACKY: 11-14 serves, 10 points, 5 aces; 3-3 serve receive; 10-14 attacks, 4 kills.

SAMANTHA WAHR: 1-1 serve receive; 1 dig.

MEGAN MCCUMBER: 3-4 sets; 1 dig.

LAURA STICKNEY: 0-1 serve; 2-3 attacks.