Smokin’ aces: Rebels top Austin
Published 10:23 pm Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The Southland Lady Rebels come together after winning game three and the match against the Austin Packers Tuesday night in Adams. --Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
ADAMS — The Southland volleyball team never trailed once as it served 21 aces in a three-game sweep over Austin by scores of 25-16, 25-18, 25-17 in Adams Tuesday.

Austin's Haley Underwood tries to push one over the net in game two against Southland Tuesday night in Adams. -- Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southland sophomore Madi Schmitz served three early aces to give the Rebels a 4-0 lead in the opening game and she served three more early aces to open the third game on a seven-point serving run.
“I was just trying to spot serve as much as I could and there was a big hole in the middle and along the right side,” Schmitz said. “I tried to get it over there.”
The Packers (1-5 overall) struggled to get into a rhythm on offense as their defense struggled with serve receives and covering the middle on attacks.
“They left (the middle) wide open,” said Southland middle hitter Celena Yunker, who had six kills and five digs.
Yunker and senior Kara Sathre, who had three kills, stepped up in the absence of middle hitter Jana Schammel, who sat out the match with an illness.
“She’s one of our strong hitters, but we knew we could come together as a team and do it,” Yunker said.
Austin made a seven-point run in game two to pull within 22-17 and they scored six straight in game three to pull within 18-16, but the Rebels (10-14 overall) always had an answer.

Southland setter Lindsey Bottema puts a ball up for hitters during game three of their match against Austin Tuesday night in Austin. -- Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“We just couldn’t click,” Austin head coach Darica Schneider said. “Southland showed up to win this game and I don’t think we came out that way. We just came to play.”
Southland, a Class ‘A’ school, was pleased to get a win over Austin, a ‘AAA’ school and Schmitz said the fast start in the first game was a big lift.
“We got ourselves pumped up and ready to go. It’s a great win because they’re so much bigger than us and we haven’t started out that great this season,” she said.
Austin stats: Jenny Soiney, 7 digs, 3 aces; Babaye Oja, 5 kills, 4 blocks; Meredith Molhusen, 4 kills, 2 ace serves; Jessica McCormack, 4 kills, 2 blocks; Kayla Rodgers, 7 set assists; Jenna Svoboda, 6 set assists, 4 kills; Ashley Follmuth, 6 digs
Southland stats: Madi Schmitz, 7 aces, 7 set assists; Brandi Schammel, 4 kills, 5 aces, 2 ace blocks; Florine Greenens, 5 aces; Celina Yunker, 6 kills, 5 digs, 1 ace block; Kara Sathre, 3 kills; Sarah Nelson, 2 kills, 1 ace block; Lindsey Bottema, 10 set assists; Kelly Gray, 5 digs; Kellie Shawback, 2 kills, 2 ace blocks; Brooke Maiers, 2 aces