BROOKINGS – Watertown pulled out a five-set victory over the Bobcats in nonconference volleyball action Tuesday night at the BHS Auxiliary Gymnasium, winning by the scores of 25-23, 23-25, 18-25, 25-20 and 15-8.
“This was by far the most complete match we’ve played this year,” said Brookings coach Jodi Melius. “Watertown belongs in the top third of Class AA volleyball, and we showed that we have an argument to belong there as well.”
Sophie Tietz highlighted the Arrows’ 6-1 run to open the fifth set, recording a pair of kills and a block to prompt a Bobcat timeout.
Following a Brookings error, Siri Kranz recorded her second service ace of the set to put Watertown on top 8-1.
The Bobcats pulled within four points three times, the last occurrence coming at 10-6.
Julia Larson later had a kill to put the Arrows up by seven points again – 13-6. Mariah Gloe came through with a kill to give the visitors match point at 14-8.
Tietz ended it with a block over the middle.
Tietz finished with 18 kills and 6 1/2 blocks (four solo), and also kept Brookings off balance in the serving game.
“We definitely needed to keep track of Sophie Tietz when she was in the front row whether it was for us defensively having a chance to be able to dig her attacks and having our blockers knowing where to line up on her shoulder, but also offensively for us – she was a major blocking presence that we had to be aware of,” noted Melius. “I thought Watertown’s middles really played well. Tietz was a difference maker for them, and then McKenzie Buisker really came on strong, especially in Set 5, and made a huge difference for them.”
Buisker finished with 18 kills and Gloe tallied 10. Buisker, Gloe and Devyn Keller were each credited with a pair of blocks.
Watertown pulled out a close win in Set 1 and Brookings came out strong in the second, leading for much of the way until a 3-0 Arrow spurt knotted the score at 22-all.
Johanna Miller’s kill made it 23-22, before Tietz and Keller teamed for a block to tie things up for a final time.
An Arrow attack error set the Bobcats up with set point and Kailee Bartels followed with a tip kill.
Trailing 14-11 in the third set, Brookings put together a 10-1 run to take control – leading 21-15 – en route to grabbing a 2-1 advantage in the match.
Watertown took the early lead in Set 4, before holding off Brookings down the stretch.
The Bobcats closed to within 22-20, but Tietz and Gloe had consecutive kills to make it 24-20. The set ended on a Brookings attack error.
Watertown’s Annie Norberg (25) and Alexx Bayles (19) combined for 44 set assists.
Tayler Corey notched 24 digs, Gloe 22 and Kranz 15.
The Arrows improved to 5-3.
Bartels and Miller paced the Bobcats with 12 kills apiece. Kylie Tucker added 11 kills, and Clarissa Miller and Michaela Jewett tallied five apiece.
Jewett guided the offense with 45 set assists and paced the defense with 19 digs.
Ashlyn Borah tallied 18 digs, Alli Gordon 12 and Miranda Ysbrand 10.
Clarissa Miller totaled 3 1/2 blocks (one solo). Tucker had 2 1/2, Bartels two, and Jewett and Johanna Miller both 1 1/2.
Borah and Regan Weisbeck each netted a pair of aces.
Melius said the Bobcats can take away the necessity of smart decision making from the match.
“We had hitters who made much better decisions tonight,” she added. “We knew Watertown was going to have a really outstanding defense, especially in Set 4 – I felt that they just took away every opportunity we had to put the ball on the floor.
“But our hitters, overall, responded well and kept their patience and were persistent with trying to make the best decisions given the opportunities that they had.”
Brookings (2-5) plays at Sioux Falls O’Gorman on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Undervarsity Results
JV – Watertown 25-14, 13-25, 15-8
SOPH – Watertown 26-24, 20-25, 15-9
Freshman A – Brookings 25-17, 27-25
Freshman B – Brookings 25-18, 25-18
Register photo: Brookings’ Johanna Miller puts down a kill during the second set of the Bobcats’ 3-2 nonconference loss to Watertown on Tuesday night at the BHS Auxiliary Gymnasium.
