Lady Bluejay spikers capture KCAC title
Tabor volleyball team
beats McPherson for
ticket to regionals
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
Never underestimate the heart of a champion.
While many were expecting the KCAC volleyball final to be decided by the usual Lady Bluejays and bitter-rival Bethel Lady Threshers, McPherson finally got the chance to crash the party.
The Lady Bulldogs pulled off the upset, tripping the Threshers in the semifinals to set up Saturday's final game in Hillsboro against the Bluejays.
Playing deep into November has become a tradition at Tabor, and it will again this season as the Bluejays (22-10, 19-1 KCAC) topped the Bulldogs, 3-1, to qualify for Thursday's Region IV tournament in Omaha, Neb.
The Bluejays won the opener, 30-26, before stumbling 30-26 in the second game. Tabor bounced back to take the next two, respectively, 30-20, and 30-16.
"I think the girls definitely have started a new season and are determined to be playing ball right now," Bluejay coach Amy Ratzlaff said. "We need to be because we're going to be getting into a lot tougher matches than anything we've seen.
"There's nothing like playing at home, there's nothing like winning at home, and there's nothing like winning a championship at home. It was the perfect ending to the season here."
But it was anything but easy for the Bluejays, who couldn't shake the Bulldogs.
Just when it looked like Tabor was going to run away with it, McPherson got back into the game.
"They're a great ball club," said Ratzlaff. "Their improvement from the beginning to the end of the season is what's phenomenal."
The Bulldogs tied the score in the first game several times but never could get over the hump.
In a game loaded with uncharacteristic hitting errors for the Bluejays, the lead never seemed stable enough.
McPherson pulled ahead 24-21 and never looked back.
"That second game just made us mad I think," said Ratzlaff. "The girls were just fired up mad because we allowed ourselves to play that way.
"We didn't play sharp, we didn't pass sharp, we didn't hit all that sharp."
Tabor turned its game up another level the next two to cruise to easy wins.
With the end of the KCAC tournament, the league teams were announced and a total of four Bluejays were named to the first and second team.
Repeat selections to the first team were seniors Anne Gunden and Jill Hein, and junior Staci Whitcomb.
Lindsey Vogts was named to the second team.
Gunden had 46 assists Saturday with newcomer Audrey Schellenberg adding 14.
Highlighting the defense with 21 kills and 14 digs, the sensational Whitcomb was selected as the Player of the Year.
Hein supplied 12 kills and 11 digs. Vogts and Kelsi Suderman combined for 22 kills with 11 each. Ashley Malcolm also had 11 digs.
The fourth-seeded Bluejays take on fifth-seeded Park at 3 p.m. Thursday.
With a win over Park, the Bluejays would face the winner of top-seeded College of St. Mary and eighth-seed McPherson at 8 p.m. Friday.
The final game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday.
"We're at the place now if we play good, solid, volleyball up there, we can make an impact at regionals," said Ratzlaff. "It used to be we'd have to really step up our play a whole other level, so we need to continue.
"We're going to have to step it up even going into next week if we're going to make an impact there."
