Hunters show stamina in two-game win over Chester

By DONN ADAMSON
Daily Journal Sports Editor

STE. GENEVIEVE — The Ste. Genevieve Hunters returned to the court on Monday, having played five matches over the weekend and winning the Notre Dame Tournament, but they had plenty left for the Chester Lady Yellowjackets.

The Hunters started a little slow, but they soon had everything working at top-notch performance as they defeated their opponent from across the Mississippi River, 25-14, 25-20.

The Hunters were not quite ready when 5’4” Staci Jany slammed down the first kill for the Lady Yellowjackets and then went on to serve two more points before the Hunters could break serve.

Down 3-0, Liz Huck served the Hunters into the lead with libero player Rikki Ritter crushing a backcourt kill for the go-ahead point. Huck served five straight points and the Hunters never trailed again.

 The Hunters had the Lady Yellowjackets reeling on defense as their offensive attack was relentless and was in sync from pass to set to spike. The Hunters made 16 kills and also had six of their attacks landing out, keeping Chester in a defensive mode on nearly every play.

The Yellowjackets, after Jany’s first blast, could only muster two kills the rest of the first game. Nearly all of their points came off of service breaks (six) and the Hunters’ missed attacks.

Chester unwilling to go down quickly, matched service breaks with the Hunters to start game two. Rhodes toed the service line with the score 7-6, in favor of Chester, and served two sharp liners that the Lady Yellowjackets could not set up but had to play a free-ball instead. The Hunters turned  both into points to take the lead.

Rhodes continued to serve, and when she nailed an ace for point 10, the Chester coach had seen enough and called time to help regroup his players.

Meyer and Gettinger continued to rain kills down on Chester’s defenders despite two stuff blocks made by the visitor’s front line, and it was not long before the Hunters had gained a significant lead at 22-13.

The Lady Yellowjackets made a stand with Megan Atchison serving her team to within three points before the Hunters were able to break her serve with Meyer hammering a kill off of the fingers of the blockers.

Meyer would end up serving out the game with Sedgwick scoring her fifth kill and Chester unable to return Meyer’s last serve. Meyer finished with six points, 12 assists and 11 kills. Kristen Faulkner also served six point with three going for aces, and she made 11 assists. Gettinger led the team in kills with seven, and Rhodes led in service points with 10.

The Hunters, 4-1-2, will be back at home on Wednesday to host Perryville.