BROOKINGS – The Bobcats secured a wild five-set victory over the Lady Govs on Senior Night during Eastern South Dakota Conference volleyball action Thursday at the BHS Auxiliary Gymnasium.
Pierre won the first two sets 25-23, 25-21; however, Brookings rallied to take the next two 25-15, 25-23 and then prevailed 16-14 in Set 5 to seal the deal.
“What a great back-and-forth match,” said BHS coach Jodi Melius. “After being down 0-2, we really had to play with a lot of intensity and a lot of heart.
“There were multiple points where our kids could have given up, and they showed a lot of tenacity to keep pushing.”
The Bobcats carried the momentum from Sets 3-4 into the fifth, racing out to a 7-3 lead. But the Lady Govs rallied with seven consecutive points to move ahead 10-7.
The margin was still three points at 13-10.
Brookings’ Kylie Tucker had a kill, and Pierre was then whistled for four contacts and had an attack error to even the score at 13-all.
A Bobcat serve into the net gave the Lady Govs match point.
But junior Ashley Anderson took care of business after that, smashing back-to-back kills and then finishing it with a tip kill.
The home team honored seniors Annika Johnson, Emma Hardin, Megan Gilk and Grace Eggebrecht.
“These seniors have been a big part of our program now for four years,” Melius said. “All of them have played for multiple years, so we just thank them for all of their contributions tonight and throughout all of their years of high school.”
Brookings improved to 4-2 in five-set matches this season, but it marked the first time it rallied for a 2-0 deficit.
“I guess we have the tenacity … we don’t always take the direct route but when it comes down to it and we’re facing elimination, our kids find a way to battle through,” noted Melius.
Trailing by a point late in the opening set, Pierre got a kill from Cayley Bush and took advantage of a pair of Brookings net violations to move ahead 24-22. After committing an attack error, the Lady Govs got a kill from Erika Stout to grab a 1-0 advantage in the match.
A strong serving performance by Chloe Kaiser helped Pierre open up a 9-2 cushion in the second. Later, a 5-0 spurt made it 16-7. The Bobcats rallied down the stretch, using a 4-0 run to cut the deficit to 22-20; but the comeback came up just short.
Brookings pulled away from an 11-10 lead with an 8-2 run – highlighted by three kills from Eggebrecht, two by setter Michaela Jewett, and one apiece from Anderson and Kylie Tucker – in the third set en route to the 10-point win.
Set 4 saw the Lady Govs seize a 19-12 advantage. The Bobcats countered with six consecutive points to get back in it but Pierre answered with four points in a row to go up 23-18.
Anderson sparked the comeback with a kill and Pierre had an attack error. After Johanna Miller tallied a kill, she teamed with Kailee Bartels for a block and Miranda Ysbrand added a service ace to knot things up at 23-all.
Anderson came through with another kill and Miller capped the 7-0 run with a kill of her own as the Bobcats pulled even in the match.
Eggebrecht posted a team-high 15 kills. Anderson added 11 kills, Tucker seven, Miller six, and Bartels and Jewett five apiece.
The Bobcats totaled 10 blocks, led by Tucker’s 4 1/2 (one solo). Eggebrecht contributed 2 1/2 blocks, Miller 1 1/2 and Jewett one (solo).
Jewett guided the offense with 42 set assists. Ysbrand paced the defense with 30 digs, Gilk chipped in with 13, and Hardin and Jewett came up with 11 apiece.
Jewett posted three of the team’s 10 service aces, with Ysbrand and Alli Gordon both adding two.
For Pierre (6-15, 3-12), Stout had 17 kills and Kodi Severyn nine. Kaiser netted four aces. Nicole Sarringar dished out 27 set assists and Abbi Kitts came up with 17 digs.
The Bobcats (5-13, 5-10) moved closer to clinching a spot in the Sweet 16.
Brookings is currently 16th with 38.06 seed points, more than a point ahead of Brandon Valley (36.89). The ‘Cats are within striking distance of four teams – No. 12 Yankton (38.83), No. 13 Pierre (38.43), No. 14 Rapid City Central (38.33) and No. 15 Sturgis (38.30).
The Bobcats take their first win streak of the year into the final week of the regular season.
“We’re playing a lot more consistent volleyball,” Melius said. “There are still things we can improve on, but overall match-to-match we’re playing much more consistently.
“We’re serving about as well as we have all season; we’re getting comfortable with being aggressive at the service line, so that’s a huge plus.
“And our pieces are starting to fall into place.”
Brookings hits the road next week to face Huron on Halloween Tuesday and Sioux Falls Washington on Thursday, Nov. 2.
