RVC VOLLEYBALL: Spartans roll past CAM as they hope to make October push

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / October 2, 2013

ANITA – The Spartans might just be turning a corner.

Exira-EHK Volleyball head coach Connie Wyatt certainly hopes so.

Exira-EHK rolled past Cumberland-Anita-Massena Tuesday night on the Cougars’ home court, taking the match in a clean sweep 25-10, 25-7 and 25-14.

 The win is the fifth in the last seven matches for Exira-EHK, as it works its way back to .500 after slumping through an eight-game losing streak and a troublesome week.

“I am very pleased with the way the girls are coming together, it’s good to have at this point of the season,” coach Wyatt says. “We’ve certainly had our struggles, but the girls are starting to learn from the mistakes we made earlier, so things are starting to come together right when we need it.”

Exira-EHK senior Adriel Hoflen led the Spartans with 12 kills and 11 digs in a solid all-around match. Moreover, the Spartans’ serving was especially effective in comparison to CAM as Exira-EHK had success on 58 of 60 attempts, led by junior

Brenna Juelsgaard’s 20-for-20 effort and four aces.

At the net, the Spartans exploited a height advantage, and rained down 47 kill attempts to 22 for CAM Tuesday night.

From the onset, Exira-EHK was intent on attacking at the net with its hitters.

“It’s a lot easier to finish a sweep when you aren’t facing a lot of blockers going up against your big hitters,” coach Wyatt says.  “There is no real excuse for not getting a quality hit when you don’t have strong blockers across from you. That’s when you want to take advantage of those opportunities.”

The Spartans also used a lot of misdirection up front, and changing of angles when laying down a kill attempt as well as the changing of the tempo of its offense.

This effort in particular is something coach Wyatt is hoping is part of an upwards trend for an Exira-EHK team that began the season ranked in the Top 15, but now sit with a 10-12 record with five matches remaining before Elk Horn hosts the inaugural Rolling Valley Conference Tournament on Thursday, Oct. 17.

That ought to be plenty of time for the Spartans to jell and peak, if the conditions are right.

“It’s nice to see them playing with a lot more confidence,” Wyatt says. “The whole season starts over once the playoffs start, and I am not real concerned with our wins and losses right now, as much as I am how we are playing when we get there (the playoffs).”