Panthers bounce back from RVC losses with two wins

     The heartbreak of a pair of tough losses was lessened two days later for the Monticello High School volleyball team during the River Valley Conference Tournament.

     The Panthers hosted one of the four pools in the first round of play on Tuesday, Oct. 10, but lost matches against Durant and Wilton. Both of those two moved to bracket play Oct. 12, and the Panthers went to the consolation tournament, also held Oct. 12, at West Branch.

     There, things brightened considerably. The Panthers beat Cascade two sets to one and West Branch 2-0 to earn the consolation title. Monticello topped Cascade 21-15, 19-21, 15-8; and swept West Branch 21-11, 21-14.

     “On Thursday night, we trusted one another and came together as a team better,” Monticello coach Stacie Breitbach said. “We serve-received better on our side, which led to a stronger and quicker offense. I also think we got more touches on blocks, which helped slow down our opponents.”

     Jordan Kuper had a big night on Thursday, totaling 23 kills for the two matches. Maddie Lambert put up a total of 40 assists, and Savanah Kremer had 11 digs for the night.

     The Panthers had hoped for better things on Tuesday in pool play, but lost to Durant 17-21, 21-16, 11-15; and to Wilton 15-21, 21-23.

     Against Durant, the first set was close throughout, and tied at 17, until Durant won the last four points. Monticello jumped to an 18-13 lead in the second set, never letting the Wildcats get closer than three points down after that, and finished the set on consecutive kills by Lauren Ries.

     The deciding set was similar to the first, with the teams tied 11-11 and Durant scoring the last four points.

     In the Wilton match, the Panthers lost 15-21, and then were a point away from evening the match, up 20-18, before the Beavers won five of the last six points to close out the match.

     For the two Tuesday matches, Ries had 18 kills and Kuper had 16, as Maddie Lambert put up 40 assists. Kremer and Ries each had 12 digs for the night, and Caitlyn Cruise had 10. Kuper had three blocks and three aces.

     The Panthers, who tied for the RVC North Division title and are now 23-9 overall, will travel to face Dyersville Beckman (28-12) in the quarterfinals of Class 3A, regional play Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.

     The winner will face either Camanche or Anamosa in a semifinal match Oct. 24, also in Dyersville.

     “We are excited to play Beckman,” Breitbach said. “We faced them early in the season, and obviously we are a much better team (now). When we play as a team, I like our chances against anyone.”

Oct. 10

River Valley Conference tourn.

Pool play

(at Monticello)

Durant 2, Monticello 1

MONTICELLO                            Kl     Bl    Dg   Ac

Caitlyn Cruise                               0      0      5      0

Corinne Gadient                           5      1      0      0

Jaelynn Kraus                               1      0      0      0

Savanah Kremer                           0      0      8      0

Jordan Kuper                               10     2      4      2

Maddie Lambert                            1      2      3      0

Rileigh Lambert                             2      1      0      0

Macy McDonough                         0      0      1      0

Lauren Ries                                 11      0      5      1

Totals                                         30       6    26      3

Assists – M. Lambert 24, Kremer 2, Ries 1,

Gadient 1.

Serving leaders – M. Lambert 10-10,

Cruise 10-10, Kuper 9-10, Gadient 8-9.

Set scores

Durant                           21   16   15 

Monticello                      17   21   11

Wilton 2, Monticello 0

MONTICELLO                            Kl     Bl    Dg   Ac

Caitlyn Cruise                               0      0      5      0

Corinne Gadient                           5      0      2      1

Jaelynn Kraus                               0      1      1      0

Savanah Kremer                           0      0      4      0

Jordan Kuper                                6      1      0      1

Maddie Lambert                            3      0      3      0

Rileigh Lambert                            1      0      0      0

Macy McDonough                         0      0      3      0

Lauren Ries                                   7      0      7      0

Maria Recker                                 0      0      0      0

Totals                                           22     2     25     2

Assists – M. Lambert 16, McDonough 2,

Ries 2, Gadient 1, Kuper 1.

Serving leaders – M. Lambert 7-7,

Ries 7-8.

Set scores

Wilton                           21   23 

Monticello                     15   21  

Oct. 12

RVC Consolation Tourney

(at West Branch)

Monticello 2, Cascade 1

MONTICELLO                            Kl     Bl    Dg   Ac

Caitlyn Cruise                               0      0      3      2

Corinne Gadient                           1      1      2      0

Jaelynn Kraus                               1      0      2      0

Savanah Kremer                           1      0      6      0

Jordan Kuper                               11      3      5      0

Maddie Lambert                            2      3      4      0

Rileigh Lambert                             4      0      0      0

Lauren Ries                                   7      0      6      0

Totals                                           27     7     28     2

Assists – M. Lambert 22, Ries 2, Kremer 1.

Serving leaders – Cruise 13-13,

M. Lambert 11-11, Ries 8-8.

Set scores

Monticello                      21   19   15 

Cascade                        15   21     8

Monticello 2, West Branch 0

MONTICELLO                            Kl     Bl    Dg   Ac

Caitlyn Cruise                               0      0      2      0

Corinne Gadient                           1      0      4      2

Jaelynn Kraus                               2      0      2      0

Savanah Kremer                           1      0      5      2

Jordan Kuper                               12     1      1      0

Maddie Lambert                            2      1      3      0

Rileigh Lambert                             1      0      1      0

Macy McDonough                         0      0      2      0

Lauren Ries                                   3      1      4      1

Totals                                          22      3     24     5

Assists – M. Lambert 18, Kremer 2, Ries 1.

Serving leaders – M. Lambert 8-8,

Gadient 8-8, Kremer 10-11.

Set scores

Monticello                    21   21 

West Branch                11   14