RT-C Beats Fayetteville
Even though there were none of their own fans there to see it, the Round Top-Carmine volleyball team won its most important match of the season to-date Tuesday in Fayetteville.
In a battle between two teams that came into the match atop the district standings with 4-0 records, Round Top-Carmine swept Fayetteville 25-22, 25-18, 25-10.
The game was in Fayetteville. Because of COVID precautions, visiting fans are not allowed at road games.
Lots of Fayetteville fans were there to cheer on their team. The Cubettes just had their JV players rooting for them.
“It’s hard not having fans here, but we talked with the players about them bringing the energy and they’ve done a good job of rolling with the punches,” said Round Top-Carmine head coach Caitie Carney Weishuhn.
Last season these two teams met in the regional finals with a state berth on the line.
Tuesday the Round Top-Carmine and Fayetteville volleyball teams continued what is becoming a great rivalry, this time with early control of first place in district on the line.
“These last few years we know it’s going to be a battle with them. Today it got out of hand here at the end. Hopefully we can play them a couple more times,” said Fayetteville head coach Clint Jaeger.
“Fayetteville always puts up a good fight. It’s a fun rivalry,” Weishuhn said.
RT-C is now 5-0 in district. Fayetteville is 4-1.
This hardly looked like a sweep early.
Fayetteville was up 21-18 in the first set before RT-C roared back fueled by some late points from Brooke Schobel and Ilse Salinas.
In the second set Fayetteville was up 11-2 after some strong serving by Kayme Schley and Mattie Konvicka before RT-C made an even bigger comeback. Schobel served eight straight points during one span.
“We started out nervous but we really fought back especially in that second set down by so many, we just kept coming back and that’s why we were successful,” Schobel said.
“It was about mental toughness,” Jaeger said. “Once we got down in a set we weren’t able to bounce back but they were. We didn’t serve-receive very well today either ... We’ll get better from this match.”
Brooklyn Jaeger had 22 kills and 13 digs Tuesday. Kayme Schley had five kills. Landry Wied had 26 assists. Mattie Konvicka had four aces and nine digs.
Both these teams have high hopes for long playoff runs this season.
“Our young players have gotten better, but they have a long way to go,” said Jaeger, whose team includes just one senior and three freshmen.
“Obviously we hope to make a good run again – COVID-depending,” said Weishuhn, whose team returns several key members from last year’s state semifinal squad. “We lost three very impactful seniors last year, but these girls are more than capable.”