Valle Catholic hits past taller Potosi front row

Valle Catholic outside hitter Makayla Joggerst serves to Potosi during game three volleyball action on Monday night in Potosi. (Matt King, mking@dailyjournalonline.com)

POTOSI – Valle Catholic is accustomed to attacking taller opponents with creativity and covering the net with emphasis if the volleyball is abruptly sent back.

The Lady Warriors surrendered only two stuff-blocks to Potosi on Monday night, and emerged with a 25-23, 19-25, 25-17, 25-19 road triumph in a battle of elite MAAA teams.

Four-year starter Makayla Joggerst totaled 14 kills, 14 digs, 15 serve receptions and two aces on 12 points, and delivered the clutch swing to secure a pivotal opening game.

Brooklyn Weibrecht finished with nine kills — primarily from the right side — plus four blocks and seven digs, and junior libero Addi Donze paced the defense with 14 digs and 35 receptions.

Valle Catholic (13-4-1) seized command of game four with a 9-0 scoring run served by Abree Zipprich, who compiled 21 assists, 13 digs, four shared blocks and three kills.

Potosi (13-3-1) featured the dominant hitter of the match as junior Ava Robart slammed 21 kills while adding 13 digs and three aces along the back row.

Freshman Eden Robart added 14 kills, and libero Tayler Rayfield was repeatedly tested by off-speed touches and angled spikes while picking up 21 digs plus 13 serve receptions.

The Lady Warriors established an 7-2 lead at the outset after Ava Bauman tipped to conclude a long defensive rally and sparked a streak of five consecutive points.

Potosi outside hitter Ava Robart attacks against Valle Catholic blockers Ava Bauman (13) and Brooklyn Weibrecht during game one volleyball action on Monday in Potosi. (Matt King, mking@dailyjournalonline.com)

Ava Robart answered with three mixed kills off improved passing in the next rotation, and Potosi completed a second comeback from five points behind later in game one.

Bauman combined with Ade Weiler on a double block, and Zipprich surprised the opposition by flicking a set over the net for 16-11 advantage favoring the Lady Warriors.

But the combination of setter Carsyn Yount to Ava Robart clicked for 10 separate kills in the stanza, and Potosi forged an 18-18 tie when Layla Juliette landed a cross-court shot.

Valle Catholic won a crucial exchange at 22-20 when Weiler lunged to save a ball in the front row and Joggerst tipped into a vacant spot. Emma Christine followed with an ace serve.

Yount picked up an ace that brought Potosi within one, but freshman Ada Bley pounded one of her four kills through a double block for Valle Catholic.

The Lady Warriors conceded the next point on a net violation, but executed following a timeout as a perfect pass from Donze and set by Zipprich enabled Joggerst to blister game point down the line.

Game two reached a sixth deadlock at 16-16 before Eden Robart knocked down two kills, and Potosi capitalized on two missed attacks from Valle for a 21-17 edge.

Rayfield was a defensive catalyst in squaring the match with six digs during the stanza, and Macyn McCarthy bolstered the Potosi back row with 17 digs and 14 receptions overall.

But the Lady Trojans revisited some earlier serve receive issues early in game three, and Valle would not relinquish control after surging ahead 11-4.

Valle Catholic junior Abree Zipprich (10) sets during game one volleyball action against Potosi on Monday in Potosi.

Zipprich answered a smash by Potosi senior Paige West with a second-ball kill, then made a diving stop that preceded a successful spike by Weiler at 21-11.

The Lady Warriors have altered their setting assignments throughout the season, and got 11 assists plus 12 digs and nine points from sophomore Brooklyn Gibbs.

Yount compiled 45 assists with 10 digs, and protected the sideline on multiple plays to help Potosi develop an 8-5 lead in hopes of extending the contest to a fifth game.

Valle Catholic won the ensuing rally when Bley covered a rejection by Eden Robart and Joggerst handled a sharp attack, then steadily built an impressive 15-8 cushion.

The Lady Trojans struggled to terminate for a while once Ava Robart rotated back, and were met by Bauman with two more of her match-high five scoring blocks to accompany eight kills.

Robart returned to the front row and ripped two spikes inside the back line before Potosi eventually narrowed the gap to 20-18 on a shared stuff by Juliette and Yount.

Weibrecht answered off a free ball to punctuate a hustling rally on both sides, however, and back-to-back Potosi errors ushered in a clinching ace from Donze at match point.

Weiler amassed eight kills, 22 digs, 18 receptions and two aces as Valle Catholic notched its fifth consecutive victory.

West was targeted often with 37 serve receptions, and also supplied nine kills and 13 digs for the Lady Trojans. Juliette collected five kills.

Potosi junior Layla Juliette (21) attacks against Valle Catholic blockers Ava Bauman (13) and Ada Bley during game one volleyball action on Monday in Potosi.

Valle Catholic outside hitter Ade Weiler attacks against Potosi during game three volleyball action on Monday in Potosi.

Potosi libero Tayler Rayfield (20) guides a pass toward the front row during game one volleyball action against Valle Catholic on Monday in Potosi.