Strasburg dispatches Panthers in semifinals

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By Greg Brill -- sports@nvdaily.com

STRASBURG -- For two sets, the fun was back in play for the Strasburg volleyball team.

The Rams went out to big leads in each set and Rappahannock County could not keep up as Strasburg looked to be a sure bet to gain a sweep in Thursday night's Bull Run District tournament semifinal.

The win would instead take four sets. The Panthers scored the first 4 points of the third set, then came all the way back from a 5-point deficit to keep their season alive for another set. The Rams finally got it done late and gained a 3-1 (25-15, 25-10, 22-25, 25-17) win to advance to Saturday night's final, in which they will host Madison County at 7 p.m.

"I just think we got down on ourselves a little bit," Strasburg senior hitter Jenna Smoot said. "We had a couple plays go the wrong way, and the momentum fell the wrong way for us. I think we got lazy. We battled back in the fourth set, [but] it was not a thrilling night for us."

When the Rams (20-1) were playing well, Smoot (11 kills) lowered the boom with her windmill-style attacks, Lauran Agnew (nine kills, 19 assists) and Jaclyn Ayers (seven kills, 22 assists) were dealing and hitting, and Stephanie Conde (seven kills) and Casey Spiker (six kills) were providing plenty of support with their spikes.

In the first set, Strasburg opened a 15-6 lead and coasted. The second set was every bit as lopsided as the score, as the Rams sprinted ahead 18-5.

When the third set began, Rappahannock County (13-8) gained some confidence with a 4-0 start. Still, Strasburg moved out to 13-8 and 17-12 leads. The match seemed all but over.

But down the stretch, the Rams struggled. Strasburg got just two kills and Rappahannock County closed with a 13-5 run. When Addie Swindler got a block for set point, the Rams knew they would have to dig a little deeper.

"You've got to stay up and keep attacking," Strasburg coach Suzanne Mathias said. "I realize, at times, that's hard. But against a good team you've got to be able to do that throughout the match."

Though they have been pushed to the limit [five sets] twice in the late season by Madison County and Clarke County, respectively, the Rams have survived to win each of their 11 Bull Run matches.

Smoot can attest to the fact that giving up a few sets to opponents only eaves open the door for a potential upset.

"I think as a team we know there's a target on our backs in the district and there has been for the past couple years," Smoot said. "I think sometimes we forget that we have to come out every night and play well because every other team is going to battle hard."

For much of the fourth set, the Rams got life back into their attacks. Conde drilled three kills. Smoot also had three, the third giving Strasburg a 20-12 lead. An ace by Ally Kauffman and an attack error by the Panthers had the lead at 10 and the Rams only 3 points from wrapping it up.

The Panthers decided they wanted to play a bit longer. Four straight points by Rappahannock County cut the Rams' lead to 6, and Mathias called a rare timeout and wasted little time reminding her team of their purpose.

"I needed to -- I had watched enough," Mathias said. "Really, I try to let them figure it [out] on their own and bring it back on their own. If they can't, then I'll do what I need to do."

Smoot agreed the pep talk worked, saying: "She kind of lit a fire underneath us and told us to play hard, play with heart, and play with pride. I think we finished pretty well and got the job done. And at the end of the night, that's all that matters."

Following the timeout, the Panthers missed a serve and Ayers, in turn, got a soft serve to drop for an ace to leave Strasburg a point shy of winning the match. Another block by Rappahannock County extended the set to another rally, where another missed serve ended things.

Mathias, who praised the play of Kauffman -- "She dug some balls she had struggled with [before]" -- knows the Rams will have to bring a more steady attack and solid hitting in order to beat Madison County on Saturday.

"We attacked and blocked with them last time [a 3-2 win on Oct. 22, at home]," Mathias said. "We've just got to match the hustle and enthusiasm they'll bring. If my girls do that, we're in pretty good shape."