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Mike Renning for the Randolph Times
RANDOLPH – The Randolph Lady Cardinal volleyball team seems to be getting hot at the right time as they won the last match in a triangular in Osmond on Oct. 17 then opened play in the Lewis & Clark Conference Tournament with a win over Walthill on Oct. 19.
'The beginning of the season was kind of rocky because we didn't really know how to play together as a team,' Lady Cardinal Mabel Ngebeh said. 'We slowly started to change that in the middle, we got more used to everyone and we started to fight in sets. I believe we have improved so much since the start of the season.'
Randolph took care of Walthill in the first round of the conference tournament in straight sets, 25-12 and 25-13.
'I couldn't be more proud of the girls for coming together as a team and getting two wins this week,' Coach Lyndsee English said. 'Our lineup has been slightly changed, but the girls did well knowing their rotations and embracing their roles.'
Randolph served the ball well in the match. Sydney Robinson had three aces; Lilly Kuchta and Mabel Ngebeh each had a couple of winners from service line and Brooke Meier and Lexi Backhaus each served up an ace.
Jenna Guenther had six kills while Backhaus hit four and had nine set assists; Meier added eight assists.
In the triangular win over Osmond in Osmond on Oct. 17, the Lady Cardinals swept the Lady Tigers by identical scores of 25-21 and 25-21.
'I feel confident going into our last matches,' Ngebeh said. 'I believe we are going to end the season on a high note.'
Again, Randolph made some hay at the service line with seven aces in the match led by Meier and Robinson with two each and single ace serves by Backhaus, Ngebeh and Delayne Thelen.
Robinson and Guenther led a balanced Lady Cardinal attack with five kills apiece. Ngebeh added four winners; Backhaus contributed three and added 14 set assists while Meier tipped up seven assists.
In the first match of the triangular at Osmond, Randolph went three sets with Boyd County before falling 25-21, 23-25 and 25-9.
'We were down in the second set but came back to win it and force a set three,' English said. 'We just made too many mistakes in the final set unfortunately.'
Ngebeh had a solid match with three ace serves, seven kills, a couple of blocks and nine digs.
Robinson also was a shining star with seven kills and 11 digs while Meier had 15 set assists and Backhaus had 13.
'The girls just came out ready to play at Osmond,' English said. 'They had worked hard in practice and they played with positive attitudes and just seemed to have fun with an amazing energy.'
The Lady Cardinals were set to take on Homer in the second round of the conference tournament on Oct. 21 in Walthill. The tournament was scheduled to end on Oct. 22.
Randolph defeated Walthill 25-12, 25-13.
RANDOLPH LEADERS (3-22): Lilly Kuchta 2 Ace Serves, 2 Kills, 4 Digs; Mabel Ngebeh 2 Ace Serves, 2 Kills, 5 Digs; Jenna Guenther 6 Kills, 1 Dig; Brooke Meier 1 Ace Serve, 2 Kills, 8 Set Assists, 6 Digs; Lexi Backhaus 1 Ace Serve, 4 Kills, 4 Digs, 9 Set Assists; Sydney Robinson 3 Ace Serves, 3 Kills, 6 Digs; Abbey Backer 1 Dig; Delayne Thelen 2 Digs.
Randolph defeated Osmond 25-21, 25-21.
RANDOLPH LEADERS: Kuchta 2 Kills, 5 Digs; Robinson 2 Ace Serves, 5 Kills, 2 Blocks, 4 Digs; Backhaus 1 Ace Serve, 3 Kills, 5 Digs, 14 Set Assists; Ngebeh 1 Ace Serve, 4 Kills, 5 Digs, 1 Block; Meier 2 Ace Serves, 1 Kill, 1 Block, 2 Digs, 7 Set Assists; Guenther 5 Kills, 2 Digs; Thelen 1 Ace Serve, 1 Kill, 6 Digs.
Boyd County defeats Randolph 25-21, 23-25, 25-9.
RANDOLPH LEADERS: Kuchta 1 Ace Serve, 4 Kills, 9 Digs; Robinson 1 Ace Serve, 7 Kills, 1 Block, 11 Digs; Backhaus 4 Kills, 13 Set Assists, 5 Digs; Ngebeh 3 Ace Serves, 7 Kills, 2 Blocks, 9 Digs; Meier 2 Kills, 1 Block, 15 Set Assists, 8 Digs; Guenther 4 Kills, 2 Digs; Thelen 8 Digs.
Jeri Schmit|Randolph Times
Delayne Thelen digs the ball during action against Bloomfield last week. The Cardinals have won their last two matches as they head into the post season.
