Bulldog volleyball still working for first win
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
The MFL MarMac volleyball team is still searching for its first win following losses to both Maquoketa Valley and West Central in a Sept. 6 triangular.
Host Maquoketa Valley swept the Bulldogs 2-0, winning each set 25-12. The Wildcats were lethal at the net, completing 21 of 36 kill shots and compiling five total blocks against MFL MarMac. Maq Valley was also nearly perfect serving, missing all but two attempts, and smacked three aces.
MFL MarMac accounted for just three kills in the match—one each from Hannah Bogdonovich, Brooke Gillitzer and Ella Corlett. Makayla Morrissey was responsible for all five assists.
Defensively, Grace Anderson earned two of the Bulldogs’ three blocks, while Bogdonovich had the other. Kadence Pape snagged a team-leading four digs, followed by Hailee Corlett with three and Gillitzer and Mindy Keehner with two apiece.
MFL MarMac’s serve efficiency was nearly perfect, at 95.7 percent, including 4-4 clips from Bogdonovich, Pape and Anderson. Morrissey completed six of seven attempts and had the team’s lone ace.
The Bulldogs finally had victory within their grasp in the second game versus West Central, but narrowly lost 2-1. After dropping the opening match 25-21, they out-performed the Blue Devils 25-20 in the second. The deciding third set didn’t go MFL MarMac’s way, however, ending in a 15-11 defeat.
West Central’s kill efficiency didn’t rank as high as Maquoketa Valley’s, but the Blue Devils still cranked out 27 kills overall—13.7 per set. The team’s service game also proved tough for MFL MarMac. Out of 47 attempts, the Blue Devils completed 44 serves, and they came away with seven aces.
MFL MarMac upped its kill total to 14 in this game. Anderson and Gillitzer each cranked out five, while Ella Corlett netted three. Of the team’s 14 assists, 11 were by Morrissey.
Pape continued to lead the Bulldogs’ defensive effort, with 10 digs. Bogdonovich and Hailee Corlett each picked up three. Anderson topped the blocks stat line, with two solo efforts, and Ella Corlett had one.
Unfortunately, the team’s serve efficiency dipped to 70.8 percent in this game, with over 10 misses. Pape took more than twice the attempts of any teammate, at 16, and made 14 of them. She also had one of MFL MarMac’s six aces. Gillitzer and Anderson each smashed two aces, and Hailee Corlett served one.
The Bulldogs will fight to get in the win column this Thursday, Sept. 15, in the Upper Iowa Conference opener against South Winneshiek (0-6). They’ll play in a tournament at Waukon on Sept. 17.
