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By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
SPENCER – When the Spencer volleyball team passes the ball well, its front line takes care of the rest.
That is what Spencer coach Buff Heller is trying to get his team to do on a more consistent basis, and Tuesday against Marshfield Columbus Catholic it worked.
The Rockets scored the first nine points of the first game and rolled to a 25-7, 25-14, 25-8, Cloverbelt Conference East Division victory over the Dons at Spencer High School.
Courtney Schulz totaled 11 kills, including six in the third game, and setter Kyleigh Hebert had 20 assists to lead the Spencer offense.
Dani Johnson led the defense with 10 digs. Alicia Endreas added seven and Paige Johnson had six as Spencer was able to control Columbus’ attack.
“We looked like we were stuck in the mud for a little bit in the second game,” Heller said. “We played like that on Saturday (at the Auburndale Invitational) early, but got better and better as the day went on and tried to carry that into today.
“It all comes down to how we pass the ball. When we pass the ball, we can attack with the best of them.”
Columbus didn’t mount much of a challenge in any of the three games, but did have a small surge in Game 2.
Spencer (1-1 Cloverbelt East) led 16-6 after four straight points served by Dani Johnson, who finished with five service aces. Columbus rallied to score seven of the next 12 points to cut Spencer’s lead to 21-14 as Diana Holzberger had two of her team-high four kills.
The Rockets regrouped and closed out the match as Krystal Weier served out the final four points following a sideout.
Spencer scored the first five points of the third game and quickly built a double-digit lead at 13-3 after two kills by Paige Johnson and another by Tara Matter. Johnson and Matter each had six kills for the Rockets.
Spencer plays at Augusta on Thursday, while the Dons host Greenwood.