Volleyball: Lake City remains winless

LAKE CITY - Lake City senior Tiffany Hoops spent most of last season providing the Tigers with kills on the frontline, but she volunteered to change positions to help the team overcome losses on the backline.

Hoops did her part, but plenty of work still needs to be done as Lake City remained winless after a sweep at the hands of Kenyon-Wanamingo Tuesday at Lincoln High School. The Knights won 25-21, 25-15, 25-14.

“We just have to keep working hard and eventually it’ll turn around,” Hoops said.

Hoops still led the Tigers with six kills despite playing most of the match in the back row. She also supplied seven digs.

“She’s such a competitor,” Lake City head coach Kim Bobb said. “We need that right now.”

Senior Sara Schmidt had four kills and six digs while junior Emily Ziebell and senior Kristine Novak each finished with two ace serves.

Paige Gilster led K-W (7-2, 2-1 HVL) with 10 kills and three ace serves, and Megan Quam had eight kills.

Neither team came out with energy and the first set was sloppy, with eight service errors committed between the two teams. The Knights led for much of the set but Lake City made it interesting, pulling within 21-20 before allowing four straight points.

“We haven’t been finishing all year long,” Bobb said. “We get really close on a lot of games.”

The Tigers stumbled starting the second set, having trouble returning K-W’s service and falling behind 10-3. Hoops triggered a small run for Lake City to pull within 11-6, but as was the case all night, the Tigers could not sustain a rally because of service errors and sloppy passing.

“We’ve been working on passing,” Bobb said. “We just need some people to step up.”

Lake City never got closer than six points the rest of the set.

The final set started much like the second as the Knights jumped out to a 5-1 lead before the Tigers rattled off four of the next five points and appeared ready to put pressure on K-W. But again, Lake City lost three straight points and the Knights coasted to another eight-point win to close out the match.

Communication is definitely an issue for an inexperienced back line but the Tigers aren’t giving up, Hoops said.

“You got to get used to working with them in practice,” she said. “I’m a very vocal person but I try to get other people involved. Slowly but surely they’re getting louder.”

Senior Taylor Koller showed flashes to spark Lake City, tallying three kills, but needs to swing hard even if the pass is poor, Bobb said. She is talented enough, and tall enough at 6-foot, but often goes for tip kills instead of pounding the ball at the defense.

“We are working on that,” she said. “She thinks she can’t swing if the sets are not perfect. It’s a matter of confidence.”

The Tigers made the second round of the section tournament last year finishing the season 14-14, and while they weren’t unbeatable, the start to the season is disappointing. But Lake City also realizes plenty of season remains.

“It’s frustrating,” Bobb said. “They played and had lots of success last year. But they’re working hard and they’re trying.”

The Tigers host Byron Thursday at Lincoln High School.

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