WEST PLAINS, Mo. – The Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Volleyball team will take a 4-1 record into the Salt Lake Community College Invitational Tournament this weekend after falling to Indian Hills Community College of Ottumwa, Iowa, 18-25, 20-25 28-30 Tuesday evening at the West Plains Civic Center in the Grizzlies’ first home match of the season.
The Grizzlies, ranked sixth in the National Junior College Athletic Association’s (NJCAA) Division I Women’s Volleyball preseason poll, will face North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, at 10 a.m. and No. 2 College of Southern Idaho, Twin Falls, at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4. On Saturday, Sept. 5, they will meet No. 15 Snow College, Ephraim, Utah, at 11 a.m. and the host team, ranked eighth, at 3 p.m.
How the Grizzlies respond to Tuesday’s loss will play a huge factor in their success or failure this weekend, Head Coach Paula Wiedemann said. “Our schedule dictates that we’re going to have to learn how to deal with good wins, bad wins, good losses and bad losses because we don’t have an easy game anywhere. How we change our presence when we walk on the floor in practice will affect how we play throughout the season,” she said.
“We cannot just go through the motions and then expect to find energy when we need it,” she continued. “Last week, we talked a lot about what you do in practice is what you do in games. In practice, we see some good things, but we’re still not seeing that drive to get something done. We’re trying to fix things instead of making things happen. If we get that figured out, it will make a huge difference.”
Fans saw the remnants of the Grizzlies’ practice struggles on the court Tuesday against Indian Hills. “Our ability to play at a high level is directly related to our connection with each other on the court. Against Indian Hills, there were no connections,” the coach said. “We were not giving each other confidence, we were not creating the feel that we were on the same page. There was no flow at all. We were reacting to what they were doing instead of controlling what we do on the court. Indian Hills played a great game last night.”
Wiedemann pointed out Indian Hills was coming off a hard-fought, five-set loss to Des Moines Area Community College on Aug. 26. “Indian Hills played the game the way it needed to be played. They’re a good team year in and year out, and their ability to respond after a loss was obvious. I hope our reaction to this loss is what it needs to be,” she said.
Statistical leaders for the Grizzlies included sophomore outside hitters Pulotu Manoa and Gabby Edmondson, both of whom had nine kills; sophomore setter Susannah Kelley, who had 25 assists; redshirt freshman outside/right side hitter Stephanie Phillips, who had a passing rating of 3.0; sophomore middle attacker Zori Curry, who had three blocks, including two solos; and Kelley, Edmondson and freshman libero Autumn Reese, each of whom had eight digs. Edmondson also had the most points earned, 12.
“This group has to find its rhythm, its flow, then the players have to hang onto it,” she continued. “They can’t just will it to come. They have to work at it and make it a part of who they are.”
Despite their struggles, the Grizzlies had a large crowd on their side trying to pull them through. “The crowd was phenomenal! It was so much fun to be in the gym. It was exactly what you want to create in a home match. It was a fantastic environment to play in, and I cannot thank our sponsors, the fans, the cheerleaders and everyone who came out to support us enough.”
Hirsch Feed and Farm Supply sponsored the match, and The Fish Shack and Hiland Dairy provided the barbecue meal and ice cream for the Grizzly Booster Club’s annual fall picnic held prior to the match.
The Grizzlies’ next home match will be 6 p.m. Sept. 10 against Region 16 rival Jefferson College, Hillsboro, in the civic center.
For more information about the Grizzly Volleyball team, visit its website at http://wp.missouristate.edu/grizzly/vb/.