Cards move to top of SEC with big win over Mabel/Canton

Published 11:12 pm Tuesday, September 29, 2009

LEROY — There’s a new volleyball team atop the Southeast Conference.

LeRoy/Ostrander used a quick hitting flurry to beat perennial SEC champs Mabel/Canton in four games in LeRoy Tuesday.

“It was a pretty big deal to win this one because this will help us get a better seed in the section,” said senior middle hitter Kaylee Bunne, who had 21 kills and two blocks in the win. “We’ve never beaten Mabel/Canton at home before and it’s always been a good rivalry.”

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The Cardinals (17-3 overall, 7-0 SEC) won by scores of 25-20, 21-25, 25-16, 25-21. They took control in game three when they broke a 16-16 tie by scoring the last nine points of the game. Rachel Rosedahl started the rally with a kill and closed it by serving eight straight points.

“I was just thinking get it over the net and pass the ball up when it comes back over. It worked out,” Rosedahl said.

After the Cougars (16-2-1 overall) pulled to within 23-21 in the deciding game five, Kaylee Bunne had a quick answer with back-to-back kills to seal the match victory. Bunne was glad to play a close match during homecoming week for L/O.

“It’s a lot more fun playing in matches like this,” she said. “We have to put everything into it and Mabel always gives a good game. They’re really competitive.”

The Cards have won 15 of their matches this season without losing a game this season.

Offensively, L/O setter Mac Bunne, who had four kills, shared the wealth as she had 44 set assists and five different Cardinals had at least five kills on the night.

“Every time we got a good pass and set, we pretty much got a kill or at least a good hit that was hard for them to pass up,” said Rosedahl, who had 10 kills and 28 digs. “The quick hitting keeps them on their toes and it’s really effective.”

Kaylee Bunne said the Cards are improving as a team with every match.

“You’re only as strong as your weakest link and I think every one plays together pretty well now,” she said.

L/O played to an 18-18 tie to start the first game, but Chanda Reidemann, who had six kills and five blocks, had a kill to make it 22-20 and Alana Roe, who finished with five kills and eight blocks, knocked down two more kills to put the Cards on top.

M/C led for most of the second game.

“I was very pleased with how we stepped up tonight. We came out and played like we wanted it,” L/O head coach Lisa Swenson said. “Our biggest thing is consistency and we were pretty consistent tonight.”

Krista Bunne, a sophomore, had nine kills and one block for L/O, junior Kylie Grant had 30 digs, and freshman Jessica Jennings had 14 digs.

The Cougars have only lost two matches this season and both were at the hands of the Cardinals. L/O beat M/C in five games Aug. 31 in Mabel.