Photo by Paul Trende
In a key TRC game, Rushford-Peterson volleyball (4-1, 12-5) hosted Fillmore Central (6-0, 10-7). Per homecomings, the game was played a 1 p.m. in front of most of the Trojans student body and a bunch of FC’s. It turned into a tense five-set affair. The story of games one and two was R-P’s serving and/or FC’s serve receive. The Trojans had six game one aces, as the Falcons struggled mightily to get into their offense. Nikki Schultz’s Trojans never trailed in posting a 25-14 win. Game two was similar, albeit FC got better with its passing (the Trojans had just two aces). But FC’s offense still wasn’t good, with just seven kills. R-P got that many spikes alone from its go-to hitter, 5’10” junior Kaylee Ruberg (who has truly emerged this season). The Trojans lone two aces came in a Ruberg four-point serving session that turned a 13-12 Falcon lead into a 16-13 Trojan edge. R-P led the rest of the way for a 25-19 win, a 2-0 lead. FC then got its game together. Key hitter Abby Bothun had five kills in the set three (after just two combined the first two sets). FC finished the match on a 12-4 run, expanding a 13-12 lead, making it a 25-16 win. Game four was then the set of the match. Each team had around 30 digs. And though the Trojans led 11-6, the game was later tied 15-15. R-P went up 19-16, only for a 19-19 tie after the Falcons (fighting uphill) won back-to-back key long volleys. Six ties later, the game sat at 26-26. An R-P hitting error followed by an Alyssa Britton block ended the set. FC was even courtesy of a 28-26 win. R-P was at match point (24-23) once. Victory came on FC’s third set point. Game five looked like FCs, as they led 8-2. But R-P crept back into it, using Ruberg often. They got to even at 13-13. R-P then staved off one Falcon match point (14-13), but a Trojan service error made it 15-14, and a Trojan hitting gave FC the match, 16-14. They came back from down 2-0 to win 3-2 (14-25, 19-25, 25-16, 28-26, 16-14)! FC was led by new 1,000-assist girl Mensink (5 kills, 41 assists, 14 digs, 17-18 serving), Kammry Broadwater (18 kills, 10 digs), Bothun (13 kills, 27 digs), and Kyla Hellickson (25 digs). Britton (6 kills), Regan Hanson (4 kills, 7 digs), and Kendyl Kraling (9 digs) helped. R-P was led by Ruberg’s massive effort (29 kills, .271 hitting, 26 digs, 22-24 serving, 2 aces). But she got help from Isabelle Kahoun (37 assists, 24 digs, 15-17 serving, 2 aces), Elly Malone (3 kills, 20 digs, 14-16 serving, 3 aces), Hannah Ronnenberg (4 kills, 16 digs, 3 aces), Emarie Jacobson (7 kills, 11 digs, 16-18 serving, 2 aces), and Aviana Anderson-Ingram (3 kills, 12 digs). The Falcons hit .128 (25 hitting errors) with 6 aces (89-101 serving) and 100 digs. R-P hit .150 (21 hitting errors) with 13 aces (91-107 serving) and 112 digs. The Trojans scored 106 total points, FC 102 total points. R-P is 4-2, 13-6.