Edwardsville’s volleyball girls emphasize teamwork each and every game with their passing, setting, hitting and defensive play and it is paying dividends as the Tigers moved to 18-7 after six matches in three days.
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The Tigers stand at the top of the Southwestern Conference with a 5-0 record. On Tuesday, Edwardsville’s girls had an impressive 25-20, 25-22 win over O’Fallon.
That team unity was never more apparent than Thursday night as the girls hosted a Volley for the Cure event against Belleville East. Edwardsville prevailed 25-14, 25-8.
There was a touching pre-game ceremony before the match for breast cancer survivors and all the Edwardsville varsity team members participated.
Jami Parker, Edwardsville’s volleyball coach, said she was thrilled to see so many in attendance supporting the cause and bringing awareness to those who have been touched by or suffered from breast cancer. She said it was great to see the stands filled with people.
“We have been working on a lot of details and watching them move together in unison," she said of her team. "The last couple weeks Rachel Verdun has been making some strong plays and everybody is stepping up as a unit together. It is the kids all doing their job. Every single person on the floor is in the match.”
“The girls played clean, didn’t make a lot of unforced errors,” Parker said about Thursday. “It was very consistent. Everyone did her job.”
Rachel Verdun may have had the match of her career and was a strong force at the net with six kills to go with 18 assists.
“She did a great job,” Parker said of Verdun. “The kills were a nice bonus.”
Kate Martin had eight kills against Belleville East, while Rachel Pranger had four kills. Corrine Timmermann, Annie Ellis and Sydney Wright had two blocks apiece and Pranger had 12 digs in the Belleville East match. Megan Woll and Allison Blume had five digs each.
The Tigers posted a 3-2 mark in matches in the Mizuno Tourney near Chicago on Friday and Saturday, against top-flight competition.
Here are the Tigers results in the Mizuno Tourney on Friday and Saturday:
Edwardsville defeated Lockport 25-22, 25-20
Martin had four kills and Pranger three kills; Verdun had 11 assists. Woll had five digs.
Edwardsville 25-18, 21-25, 25-27 loss to Muskego, Wisc.
In the Muskego match, Verdun had 10 assists, Pranger had three kills; Martin had two kills. Allen and Meyer added five digs.
Tigers 25-22, 25-22 over Wheaton North
Pranger had a game-high nine kills; Ellis had seven kills and Verdun three kills. Verdun had a remarkable 21 assists in the Wheaton North match. Blume had 10 digs; Pranger, Woll and Wright had eight digs each.
Edwardsville 25-17, 25-15 over Lincoln Way Central
Verdun continued to accumulate significant assists stats with 17 in this match. Pranger had seven kills; Martin had four kills. Woll had eight digs. Meyer and Verdun had six digs.
Tigers lose to Lisle-Benet 15-25, 17-25
Pranger led the Tigers in this match with six kills. Ellis and Martin had three kills. Woll had 11 digs and Verdun 12 assists.
The Tigers play twice next week at home with a 4:15 p.m. start against Visitation Academy on Tuesday and 4:30 p.m. match at Alton High on Thursday.
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