April 16, 2024

Mustangs back at .500 with win vs. Maroons

By KALEB CARTER
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Murray sophomore Breianna Klein goes up for a block against Diagonal senior Kasydi Klommhaus. Set behind Klein is senior teammate Kayla Siefkas (7). (CNA photo)

MURRAY — The visiting Diagonal Maroons got stronger every set in their road match at Murray Thursday but the Mustangs still emerged victorious in three sets.

Murray won each set, as Diagonal inched closer each time. Murray won the first set 25-13, second 25-18 and third 25-22.

“We’re starting to hit the ball a lot better than we had earlier in the season,” Murray coach Jerry Shields said. “We were doing a lot of pushing the ball over, bumping the ball over. But now... our passing has got a little bit better, although tonight it was a bit suspect.”

Murray took an 11-9 lead in the first set and went on a stretch where it played some of its best volleyball of the night and scored 11 of the next 13 points to go up 21-11.

Clearly unhappy, Diagonal coach Mallory Grandfield called a timeout and encouraged her team to get things together and told them to huddle together on the court and find a solution rather than come to the bench.

The effects of that decision seemed to come out in the next set. The Maroons grabbed an 8-6 lead, and battled for much of the set before succumbing to another loss.

Kasydi Klommhaus was one of Diagonal’s five seniors to take charge for the Maroons vocally and with her play. Klommhaus showcased her arsenal of kills, spins and court vision to find space among the Mustangs.

“That was definitely a scrappy game,” Grandfield said. “They were on the floor and Allison (Norris) was taking some hard swings and Kasydi (Klommhaus) did really good getting some blocks for us, slowing them down.”

Kayla Siefkas and Breianna Klein led the Mustangs toward the end of the second set.

“Our middle hitters have come a long way,” Shields said. “We had Zoie (Lecy) in the middle to begin with and we decided she was better on the outside. Kayla (Siefkas) does a good job in the front and Bre (Klein) does a good job all the way around. For a sophomore she’s really stepping it up this season.”

The Maroons fell behind 18-10 in the third set but rallied back due to the play of Norris and Klommhaus and the serving of Emily Newton. Diagonal pulled within one at 23-22 but out of a timeout, Murray two points to win the set and match.

UP NEXT — Murray (8-8), travels to Mount Ayr (23-1) for a match Monday. Diagonal (4-7) will travel to Orient-Macksburg (2-9) Monday.