Prep volleyball: Shelley sweeps Rigby despite late Trojan surges
Published at | Updated at
SHELLEY — The Rigby Trojans refused to go quietly, battling back from large let-set deficits three times. But the Russets were too much, claiming a victory in straight sets at home Thursday night in Shelley.
Rigby (7-3-1) was forced to take a pair of timeouts in the first set, first down 6-1, then down 12-5, and rallied back behind sophomore Acacia Taylor. But Shelley (8-2-2) eventually finished with a 25-21 set victory. It was the same story twice more, with the Russets grabbing a commanding lead before the Trojans put together a mid-set surge only to see Shelley finish the second and third sets 25-23 and 25-20.
Shelley head coach Cami Empey said after the game that the focus at practice during this strong start to the season has been denying runs. Siding out the opponent’s first set, she said, is the key to winning.
“Our serve receive is what really won us that game,” Empey told EastIdahoNews.com. “We’ve been working a lot on siding out on our first ball, and we came out and did that tonight.”
Shelley was paced by do-it-all middle blocker Josslynn Ivie, who finished the night with five kills, four blocks and a service ace, coming up especially big to stop Rigby’s runs.
The junior scored back-to-back points to halt a Rigby rush in the second set, then roofed back-to-back Trojan swings early in the third, when Rigby was trying to get a better start than they had in the first two.
Empey said that Ivie’s contributions go beyond those which are measured statistically. Ivie, the coach said, makes some contact with most of the shots she challenges, slowing the shots down and making the jobs of the girls behind her much easier. Then, she can turn around and finish.
“She’s just as good defensively as she is offensively, and that’s such a bonus,” Empey said.
Another player whose contributions go well beyond any box score is libero Ashtyn Davis.
Davis was everywhere all night, making diving pancake saves and lunging digs.
Empey said that the junior has grown by “leaps and bounds” from last season, when she was on Empey’s club team, to this.
“She is one of our scrappiest (players),” Empey said. “She pick up balls that you think are going down automatically, it’s just amazing to watch her play.”
Watching her, and the other 11 on the court, was amazing for one particular rally, which lasted roughly 60 seconds, in the first set. With bodies flying everywhere, spike after spike was returned until, with players visibly slowing, sophomore Macie Winder finished the point for Shelley.
When the rally was over, Rigby recovered while the Russets ran to Davis, who’d made numerous fantastic saves.
Ampey said that rallies like that can completely alter a match.
“It’s amazing to watch,” she said. “And points like that build more momentum than any other point.”
Shelley will next take the court Friday at the ThunderBee Tournament at Thunder Ridge. Rigby will be at Pocatello to take on the powerful Thunder and junior Abby Lusk Tuesday.