Hills-Beaver Creek junior hitter Erin Boeve tips the ball past a Sibley-Ocheyedan blocker during Monday's volleyball match in Hills. Boeve had eight kills and six blocks during a 3-0 loss to the Generals.
By John Rittenhouse
The Hills-Beaver Creek volleyball team was unable to shake what now stands as a four-match losing skid to start the 2002 season when it hosted Sibley-Ocheyedan, Iowa, Monday.
The Patriots played a pair of strong games after a rough start, but it wasn't enough to keep the Generals from walking away with a 3-0 win.
S-O took control of Game 1 by turning a 3-2 edge into an 11-2 cushion with an 8-0 run.
Erin Boeve, who led the Patriots with eight kills and six blocks in the match, ended S-O's run with an ace block. The Generals, however, scored the next four points to prevail 15-3.
Games 2 and 3 were much more competitive.
One service point by Brittney Rozeboom and two more from Angie Sjaarda gave the Patriots a 3-0 lead early in the second game, and the difference was four points (6-2) when Sarah Rozeboom served a point as the game progressed.
S-O moved in front 7-6 with a 5-0 run and led 10-8 when Boeve served a pair of points and one ace and Cassi Tilstra served a point to give the Patriots a 12-10 advantage.
The score favored H-BC 13-11 when S-O reeled off four straight points to clinch a 15-13 victory.
A three-point service run by Boeve gave H-BC a 5-2 lead in the third game before S-O countered with a 6-0 run to move in front 8-5.
Two kills and a tip by Boeve tied the game at eight, but the Generals scored four straight points to gain a 12-8 cushion.
One block, one ace serve and one point from Boeve trimmed the difference to one point (12-11) before S-O scored three straight points to prevail 15-11.
Tilstra (six of six), Sjaarda (eight of eight with one ace) and Brittney Rozeboom (five of five with one ace) were perfect at the service line for H-BC.
Sarah Rozeboom provided three kills. Kelly Mulder had four blocks and one kill.
H-BC hosts Mountain Lake-Butterfield-Odin tonight before playing at the Central Lyon Tournament in Rock Rapids, Iowa, Saturday.