For as few opportunities as the Emporia High volleyball team gets to play at home this season, Emporia High coach Kendra Bloomquist wants to make sure her team makes the most of those chances.
The Lady Spartans were successful in doing so Tuesday night, finishing with a 2-1 record as hosts of the Emporia Quad, the first of just two times EHS plays at home this season.
On Senior Night, the Lady Spartans fell to Shawnee Heights, 2-1, before getting sweeps over Topeka West and Highland Park.
“It was an up and down night somewhat,” Bloomquist said. “On Senior Night, you kind of look for a big energy boost from that. The competition didn’t lend itself a lot to that.”
Hoping to get off to a fast start, Emporia (12-6, 5-4 Centennial League) went up against Shawnee Heights in the first match of the night. Last Wednesday, Emporia knocked off Shawnee Heights, 2-1, for Bloomquist’s first victory over the school in her 11 years as head coach at EHS.
However, the Lady Spartans couldn’t give their coach win No. 2 against the Lady T-Birds, as EHS took Game One, 26-24, before dropping the final two games, 25-16, 25-19.
In Game One, EHS fought back from early holes of 7-1 and 10-3 to eventually tie it at 13 before squeaking out the win. Emporia held early leads in both the second and third games, but Shawnee Heights rallied both times to take the match.
“Sure, we would liked to have won that one,” Bloomquist said. “I don’t think we attacked very well. I didn’t think we played defense as well as we’re capable of playing. But I’m not disappointed either.”
Sadie Webb led EHS with 10 kills against Heights, while Hilary Heinrichs and Taylor Hollond added eight and six, respectively. Ashley Lake had five kills and 18 digs.
“When we first came out, I think we may have been a little nervous and jittery,” Webb said of the Shawnee Heights match. “We calmed down and played our game after that, but we weren’t communicating well in those last two games.”
Emporia rebounded with two victories in straight sets against Topeka West and Highland Park, but it wasn’t exactly pretty. Bloomquist called the two wins “ugly” because of her team’s inconsistency at times, but the coach added that that was to be expected, as she substituted liberally in both matches and dug deep into her bench to get some of the starters some rest for upcoming matches.
“We had some different personnel on the floor,” Bloomquist said. “We’re trying to look down the road and give some kids some rest when we need to, which causes some things to be a little inconsistent and the intensity to wane a little bit because of all the different combinations on the floor.”
Against Topeka West, a Jessica Decker kill gave EHS a 7-6 lead it would never surrender en route to a 25-15 win in Game One. In Game Two, with the Lady Spartans trailing 15-13, it took a fiery speech from Bloomquist during a timeout to get EHS back on track.
“We just weren’t giving enough effort,” senior Ashley Lake said. “She told us pretty much to pick it up and get it together.”
Emporia went on an 8-2 run out of the timeout to take control before eventually winning, 25-18.
Decker tallied eight kills against West, with Webb adding seven and Heinrichs six.
Emporia was never seriously threatened in the nightcap against Highland Park, taking the first game 25-17 before getting the sweep in Game Two with a 22-13 win that included a 9-0 run to start the game by the Lady Spartans.
“That was a game that we needed to finish quickly,” Lake said.
Webb led the way with eight kills while Heinrichs had seven against Highland Park.
Emporia is back in action Thursday when it travels to Olathe North.
Tuesday at Emporia
Shawnee Heights def. Emporia 24-26, 25-16, 25-19; Emporia def. Topeka West 25-15, 25-18; Emporia def. Highland Park 25-17, 25-13.