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Lynnville-Sully stuns GMG in 4

GMG’s Anna Mussig (17) makes a swing against Lynnville-Sully’s Paige James (25) during last Wednesday’s Class 1A regional volleyball match in Garwin. The Wolverines lost in four sets. PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER

GARWIN — GMG volleyball had the heart and the home court.

Key errors down the stretch allowed the visiting Lynnville-Sully side to prevail in a 3-1 victory for the Hawks, ending the Wolverines’ season in a Class 1A regional quarterfinal at GMG High School last week Wednesday.

Lynnville-Sully won 25-23, 18-25, 25-21, 25-22. GMG’s season ends at 16-12; Lynnville-Sully advanced to play HLV in a Region 5 semifinal this past Monday — HLV upended Gladbrook-Reinbeck in five sets last week Wednesday in Reinbeck.

Tied at 22-all in the fourth set, a service error and attack error put Lynnville-Sully in position for match point, and after a GMG timeout, the Hawks delivered the killing blow.

“They were getting some good swings on us, but I think we definitely were just beating ourselves up at a couple of points there,” GMG head coach Justina Eggers said. “At the end of it, they were just rolling at us and we just needed to get that ball up for a good set and attack but we just didn’t have everyone on top of it tonight for recovery when we needed them to.”

The second set was a bright spot for the Wolverines, leading almost from start to finish as a senior-heavy attack led by Adelyn Sienknecht, Reese Dieleman and Maecyn Lewis dropped in points. GMG closed on a 6-2 run, which at that time had evened the match at 1 set a piece.

“We were communicating, getting the ball up, being completely scrappy,” Eggers said. “We found holes on their side of the court and got our serves in.”

The momentum swung to Lynnville-Sully late in the third set — GMG led 20-16 but the Hawks responded with a 9-1 barrage, which included three kills from senior Alexy Conover, as Lynnville-Sully took the all-important 2-1 lead.

The fourth set was back and forth with several ties and lead changes before the Hawks were able to pull away.

“These seniors were my first group of girls, and I’m definitely going to miss their energy,” said Eggers, a first-year coach at GMG. “They really came in here and went full-force, full-hearted into the sport with amazing energy, so they will be missed.”

The second set was a bright spot for the Wolverines, leading almost from start to finish as a senior-heavy attack led by Adelyn Sienknecht, Reese Dieleman and Maecyn Lewis dropped in points. GMG closed on a 6-2 run, which at that time had evened the match at 1 set a piece.

“We were communicating, getting the ball up, being completely scrappy,” Eggers said. “We found holes on their side of the court and got our serves in.”

The momentum swung to Lynnville-Sully late in the third set — GMG led 20-16 but the Hawks responded with a 9-1 barrage, which included three kills from senior Alexy Conover, as Lynnville-Sully took the all-important 2-1 lead.

The fourth set was back and forth with several ties and lead changes before the Hawks were able to pull away.

“These seniors were my first group of girls, and I’m definitely going to miss their energy,” said Eggers, a first-year coach at GMG. “They really came in here and went full-force, full-hearted into the sport with amazing energy, so they will be missed.”