By KYLER ROWDEN-STUM
Tiger Media Network
Behind one of the strongest serving streaks in northwest Kansas, the Quinter High School volleyball team is charging into the week looking to keep its early-season surge alive.
The Bulldogs have leaned on strong serving to start the season 7-3 after the Gove County Classic on Saturday. Quinter finished runner-up to Bird City-Cheylin.
Junior setter Kendyl Johnson has been at the center of that success. Entering last week’s triangular in Quinter against Logan/Palco and Wheatland-Grinnell, the junior had a 96 percent serve success rate. She turned in her biggest moment yet in the second match against Wheatland-Grinnell, delivering an 11-serve streak that swung the score from 15-9 in favor of the Thunderhawks to a 20-15 lead for the Bulldogs.
Quinter went on to close out the match for its fourth victory of the year.
“It felt great because we work on serves every day in practice,” Johnson said. “To see that pay off in a game situation was awesome. Serving is a main part of the game. If you can’t get a serve over, you can’t really compete.”
Serving has been a key stat for Quinter so far. In its four wins to start the season, the Bulldogs averaged more than eight service aces per match compared to just four in their lone loss. Holding serve has also allowed Quinter to limit opponents to fewer than 16 points per game in those early-season victories.
Head coach Katie Blackwill, in her ninth overall season, said Johnson’s ability to follow direction and read opponents on her own gives the Bulldogs a reliable weapon.
“She’s really come along,” Blackwill said. “She can spot serve when I call it, but she’s also learning to recognize when another team is struggling to pass and attack that. That’s her experience starting to show.”
That will matter this week. The Bulldogs travel to play in a triangular at Otis-Bison on Tuesday before competing in the Dighton Invitational on Saturday.
“One thing I want to work on is reading hitters better,” Blackwill said. “Sometimes we sit back expecting a hit when it’s going to be a tip. Adjusting to that and recognizing what’s coming will make us stronger defensively. If we combine that with how well we’re serving, I like our chances.”
With Johnson’s serving streak still fresh, the Bulldogs are confident heading into the week.
“We’ve got momentum from this win,” Johnson said last week after beating Wheatland-Grinnell. “If we keep serving strongly and working hard in practice, I think we can come out with wins.”
This story was written as part of INF 322: Sports Writing, a course in the Department of Informatics at Fort Hays State University.