This story is sponsored by: American Family Insurance – Randy Le Moine Agency
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
SPENCER – After essentially dominating the first two games of Thursday’s WIAA Division 3 volleyball regional semifinal, Spencer suddenly found itself in a fight with Stanley-Boyd.
The Rockets lost Game 3, then rallied from a small deficit in the middle of Game 4 to defeat Stanley-Boyd 3-1 and advance to the Division 3 regional final.
Spencer, the No. 4 seed in bottom half of Sectional No. 2, won the match 25-11, 25-14, 22-25, 25-21, to move on to the regional final at top-seeded Athens at 7 p.m. Saturday. Athens beat Rosholt 3-1 on Thursday.
Spencer freshman Lindsey Vaughan served five straight points to turn a two-point deficit into an 18-14 lead in the fourth game. Senior Tara Matter had three kills in the final stretch, including the final one, to push the Rockets to the victory.
“We’re pleased with the results, but we’re still a little up and down,” Spencer coach Buff Heller said. “To come out that strong in Game 1, and then in Game 3, pretty much give it to them…I think it was nine unforced errors and we only lost 25-22. It’s a little mental let down, they have to learn how to finish better. They are getting there…they are better than they were at the beginning of the year.”
Spencer scored 15 of the final 18 points in the first game and seemed to have full control of the match when it took a 20-10 lead in Game 2 by ripping off eight points in a row. An ace by Matter and kills by Tynae Phillips and Marisa Johnson finished off the 25-14 win.
An ace by Vaughan gave Spencer a 14-10 lead in the third game before Stanley-Boyd suddenly came to life.
Two kills by freshman Jamie Reit and a pair of aces from Anna Lisiecki led a 6-0 run by the Orioles to give them a 23-18 lead. Spencer cut it to two, but Stanley-Boyd held on to force a fourth game.
Reit continued her ferocious play at the net with eight of her team-high 17 kills in Game 4, but the Rockets fought back behind Phillips, Matter and precise setting from sophomore Brooke Kettleborough, rallying to the win.
Matter finished with 16 kills, Paige Johnson added 15 kills and Phillips finished with 12 for the Rockets. Kettleborough had 45 assists, and Alicia Endreas had 21 digs and Marisa Johnson had 19 for Spencer.
“We knew going in that if we could keep siding out when she (Reit) was in the front row, we’d be in good shape,” Heller said. “For the most part, we did a good job.”