The Sidney Sun-Telegraph - Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper

Sidney's Lady Raider Volleyball Team hosted the Mitchell Lady Tigers on Tuesday September 10 at the Cabela's Athletic Center, and came away with a decisive victory in three straight sets.

Mitchell came into the contest hot off of their win in the Western Trails Conference Tournament in Hemingford on September 7, defeating Gordon-Rushville for the tournament title, but were brought back down to earth by a Sidney team stacked with unrelenting athletic and hard-hitting players.

Sidney started the first set by opening up a 7-to-1 lead before Mitchell was able to get their footing and go on a run of their own. The Lady Tigers were able to tie the first set at seven, then at 8-to-8 Sidney Head Coach Marcus Ehrke called a time-out to refocus his players. The break helped, as Sidney then went on to pull away from the Lady Tigers and ended the set with a series of devastaing serves by junior Logan Holly that put the set away 25-to-11 for the Lady Raiders.

In the second set, the Lady Tigers earned the first point, then Holly got up high at the net and smashed a kill for the Lady Raiders, and then got the ball back to serve. Holly served for seven Sidney points in a row, with the Mitchell girls finally able to return a serve on the fourth attempt.

Holly's serves were strong and with topspin, making the ball curve downward and difficult to return. By the end of Holly's service run, the Lady Raiders were up 7-to-1 and in full control of the set. Kills by junior Karly Sylvester, senior Mat tie Johnson, and Holly put the pressure on the visitors to respond. Mitchell had difficulty getting through the defensive front of Sylvester, Johnson, and Holly. The Mitchell crowd cheered their encouragement, but the combination of great defense and power and drop shots by Mattie Johnson sealed the second set for Sidney 25-to-12.

Mitchell refocused and came out strong in the third set, running up a 6-to-1 lead on Sidney before the Lady Raiders adjusted and went on a run of their own. Sidney tied the set then opened up a 12-to-7 lead before the Lady Tigers fought back to narrow the lead to 15-to-13. That's as close as the Lady Tigers would get, as Johnson, Sylvester, and Holly again dominated with big kills for the Lady Raiders.

The Mitchell defense was able to dig out a few of the big hits, but Sidney's relentless attack was too much for the Lady Tigers. Mitchell kept up on the last series of points, but after a perfectly timed drop shot by sophomore Alecca Campbell followed by a cross-court kill to an uncovered spot in the Mitchell defense by Sylvester, the Lady Raiders took the third set 25-to-19 for the 3-to-0 match victory.