It’s service with a smile for Mast
Maybe Hiland freshman Kelsey Mast should be working the counter at McDonald’s or Burger King.
Mast brought new meaning to the phrase “service with a smile” on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Hiland’s Div. IV Dover Sectional volleyball opener against Conotton Valley, firing off 15-straight service winners in game four to propel the Lady Hawks to a 21-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-8 victory over the Rockets.
While the first three games were nail-biters, Mast’s prowess at the service line, which had not only her but her teammates grinning from ear to ear, made the crucial game four win anything but.
“I really wasn’t trying to do anything special there,” said Mast of her serving display. “We had been missing too many serves, and I just wanted to get them in and give us a chance to win a point. I guess it was good enough, and after a while, they just started to get flustered.”
Mast, who had served 25 straight in a JO game this summer, kept dropping serves into the middle of the Rockets defensive alignment after Dana Rausch had gotten the serve away from Conotton Valley (6-12) with a kill to begin the game. Mast had four aces in the game’s first eight points, and then the Rockets began moving their middle back line player up too early, and the Rockets were whistled three times for being out of alignment. “After a while I felt kind of bad, but not too bad,” said Mast with a grin — the same one which she had on her face during the spree. “It’s all part of the game.”
The game marked another step in the maturation process for the Lady Hawks (5-17) program.
“This feels so good,” said Dana Rausch, who proved to be a do-it-all player on the evening, recording five service aces, 10 kills and seven assists. “We came in here with the attitude that we weren’t just going to win, but we were going to smash them. I guess we did in game four. I am really proud of my teammates and how we played.”
Ariel Cooper, who had two absolutely huge kills in game two, the last to put the game away, rejoiced in the Lady Hawks victory, stating, “Hey, we just got further than we did last year, and it feels great. What makes it better is that everyone contributed and made some big plays tonight.”
Conotton opened up game one by putting together an impressive run, turning a 6-6 tie into a 22-15 advantage. But Hiland stormed back, and down 24-18, after regaining the serve, Alexis Guggisberg got Hiland back to within 24-22, but the Rockets took the win 25-22.
Worse yet, middle hitter Charity Mishler went down just several points into the game with a pulled hamstring, forcing coach Becky Williams to go to sophomore Erin Schrock, who had played junior varsity all season. In addition, Mikayla Gray was ill, so Bethany Schrock had to fill her shoes.
Both players proved that they were more than ready to step into the varsity realm and contribute, Bethany Schrock with a superb serving night, Erin Schrock using her big tall, athletic frame to man the net.
“I was proud of all of the kids, but Erin really stepped in and played a huge role for us tonight after Charity went down,” said Williams. “Having not played varsity all year, she really came through in a big way.”
In game two, Hiland raced out to a 6-1 lead on the strength of Bethany Schrock’s serving. Eventually, the lead stretched to 20-10, but the Rockets got fired up and began clawing their way back into the game. The score became 21-16, then 23-19, but Cooper’s two big hits kept Conotton Valley at bay, and the Lady Hawks won 25-21.
Then came the pivotal game three, with both teams fully aware that this one would put somebody in the driver’s seat.
It appeared to be Conotton Valley, which zoomed to leads of 8-4, 10-7 and 16-12. Then, it looked like the Rockets would gain another point, but Rausch made an incredible running save, flying off the left side of the court, hitting a winner to the front right corner on Conotton Valley’s side.
“That was a huge point for us, because it was totally a hustle play on Dana’s part, at a crucial time, and it really got us going,” said Hiland coach Becky Williams.
At 18-14, the team effort really took shape for Hiland. Schrock made a block, Sierra Miller made a kill and Tammy Keim got a kill after Hiland had regained the serve, and it was tied at 18. Guggisberg’s ace gave Hiland its first lead, and the two teams then played to a 22-22 tie. Then the Rockets got a taste of things to come, when Mast served out the final three points for the 25-22 win.
Then came a full-fledged dose of Mast putting on a serving clinic. Amazingly, it wasn’t even until the ninth point of the game that Conotton Valley was able to even get a ball back over the net. By the time Mast was done serving, it was 16-0. Rocket’s coach Brad Shupe sat staring blankly at the court, several players on the bench sat with heads in hands, unable to watch.
And the reward for winning a tournament game after going oh-for-the-season last year?
A date with state power Tuscarawas Central Catholic.
But Williams said that this team is not in any mood to simply come in and hand the Saints a W.
“I told the kids that they are girls just like us,” said Williams. “We will come out here and compete and play hard, and it feels like we grew up a little bit tonight. We aren’t going to concede anything.”
Especially if they can get Mast playing the role of cashier at a fast food restaurant, where service with a smile is always part of the routine.
Mast brought new meaning to the phrase “service with a smile” on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Hiland’s Div. IV Dover Sectional volleyball opener against Conotton Valley, firing off 15-straight service winners in game four to propel the Lady Hawks to a 21-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-8 victory over the Rockets.
While the first three games were nail-biters, Mast’s prowess at the service line, which had not only her but her teammates grinning from ear to ear, made the crucial game four win anything but.
“I really wasn’t trying to do anything special there,” said Mast of her serving display. “We had been missing too many serves, and I just wanted to get them in and give us a chance to win a point. I guess it was good enough, and after a while, they just started to get flustered.”
Mast, who had served 25 straight in a JO game this summer, kept dropping serves into the middle of the Rockets defensive alignment after Dana Rausch had gotten the serve away from Conotton Valley (6-12) with a kill to begin the game. Mast had four aces in the game’s first eight points, and then the Rockets began moving their middle back line player up too early, and the Rockets were whistled three times for being out of alignment. “After a while I felt kind of bad, but not too bad,” said Mast with a grin — the same one which she had on her face during the spree. “It’s all part of the game.”
The game marked another step in the maturation process for the Lady Hawks (5-17) program.
“This feels so good,” said Dana Rausch, who proved to be a do-it-all player on the evening, recording five service aces, 10 kills and seven assists. “We came in here with the attitude that we weren’t just going to win, but we were going to smash them. I guess we did in game four. I am really proud of my teammates and how we played.”
Ariel Cooper, who had two absolutely huge kills in game two, the last to put the game away, rejoiced in the Lady Hawks victory, stating, “Hey, we just got further than we did last year, and it feels great. What makes it better is that everyone contributed and made some big plays tonight.”
Conotton opened up game one by putting together an impressive run, turning a 6-6 tie into a 22-15 advantage. But Hiland stormed back, and down 24-18, after regaining the serve, Alexis Guggisberg got Hiland back to within 24-22, but the Rockets took the win 25-22.
Worse yet, middle hitter Charity Mishler went down just several points into the game with a pulled hamstring, forcing coach Becky Williams to go to sophomore Erin Schrock, who had played junior varsity all season. In addition, Mikayla Gray was ill, so Bethany Schrock had to fill her shoes.
Both players proved that they were more than ready to step into the varsity realm and contribute, Bethany Schrock with a superb serving night, Erin Schrock using her big tall, athletic frame to man the net.
“I was proud of all of the kids, but Erin really stepped in and played a huge role for us tonight after Charity went down,” said Williams. “Having not played varsity all year, she really came through in a big way.”
In game two, Hiland raced out to a 6-1 lead on the strength of Bethany Schrock’s serving. Eventually, the lead stretched to 20-10, but the Rockets got fired up and began clawing their way back into the game. The score became 21-16, then 23-19, but Cooper’s two big hits kept Conotton Valley at bay, and the Lady Hawks won 25-21.
Then came the pivotal game three, with both teams fully aware that this one would put somebody in the driver’s seat.
It appeared to be Conotton Valley, which zoomed to leads of 8-4, 10-7 and 16-12. Then, it looked like the Rockets would gain another point, but Rausch made an incredible running save, flying off the left side of the court, hitting a winner to the front right corner on Conotton Valley’s side.
“That was a huge point for us, because it was totally a hustle play on Dana’s part, at a crucial time, and it really got us going,” said Hiland coach Becky Williams.
At 18-14, the team effort really took shape for Hiland. Schrock made a block, Sierra Miller made a kill and Tammy Keim got a kill after Hiland had regained the serve, and it was tied at 18. Guggisberg’s ace gave Hiland its first lead, and the two teams then played to a 22-22 tie. Then the Rockets got a taste of things to come, when Mast served out the final three points for the 25-22 win.
Then came a full-fledged dose of Mast putting on a serving clinic. Amazingly, it wasn’t even until the ninth point of the game that Conotton Valley was able to even get a ball back over the net. By the time Mast was done serving, it was 16-0. Rocket’s coach Brad Shupe sat staring blankly at the court, several players on the bench sat with heads in hands, unable to watch.
And the reward for winning a tournament game after going oh-for-the-season last year?
A date with state power Tuscarawas Central Catholic.
But Williams said that this team is not in any mood to simply come in and hand the Saints a W.
“I told the kids that they are girls just like us,” said Williams. “We will come out here and compete and play hard, and it feels like we grew up a little bit tonight. We aren’t going to concede anything.”
Especially if they can get Mast playing the role of cashier at a fast food restaurant, where service with a smile is always part of the routine.
Published: October 18, 2011
