2008 Woodie Awards
ROUND THREE: Jennies, Hornets tangle
Central looks to move on with Regional victory
Issue date: 11/17/05 Section: Sports
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The Jennies are coming off a loss in the second round of the MIAA tournament at the hands of Truman State. The Jennies were defeated 3-0 by the Bulldogs Thursday in Kirksville, Mo.
The Jennies haven't won in Pershing Arena since 1998 and were unable to snap that streak against a rejuvenated Truman squad.
The Jennies were competitive in the first two games, dropping them by a total of five points, but in the third set, the Jennies ran out of gas, falling 30-12.
Assistant coach Flip Piontek said the team believed it could win, but dropping the first two matches took the air out of the team.
"We competed well in the first two matches, but by the third game, we were a bit behind the eight ball," Piontek said. "We were trying to do too much."
Sophomore Andrea Robertson said communicating mixed with the determination of the Bulldogs contributed to the loss.
"We had some communication problems; the hitters weren't connecting with the setter," Robertson said. "Everything seemed a little off, plus Truman is a completely different team at home; they play like no one will ever beat them."
The Jennies were led in scoring by Robertson and senior Becky Haug, each racking up nine kills in the loss. Senior Kaci Young was solid despite only amassing 30 assists. Junior Katie Tarka contributed eight kills and 13 digs in the contest.
The Jennies were out-hit by Truman by a count of .234 to .073, the largest scoring disparity in a Jennies' loss this season. Piontek said that the travels can sometimes take a toll on teams playing on the road.
"I don't know that our players fully understand how difficult it is to get off the bus and compete," Piontek said. "We try to make them understand that it won't be easy. We want to get better at not getting flustered and getting down."
The Jennies did receive some good news prior to the game, as the all-conference teams were announced with five Jennies capturing honors.
Haug was the lone first-team finisher, with Young, Robertson and Tarka earning second-team honors. Freshman Brooke Butler received an honorable mention in her first year with the squad. Robertson said the honor was nice on her first, full healthy season.
"It was good that I could fight through my health problems and stay on the court for the entire season," Robertson said.
Back injuries kept Robertson limited last season.
The Jennies will now set their sights on regional play, with a first-round matchup tonight against Emporia State. This will be the third time these squads have met this season, with the Jennies winning the previous two.
Much like Pittsburg State last week, the Jennies will have to find new ways to win. Piontek said when you see a team this many times, it can be difficult because the element of surprise is not there.
"There will be no secrets between us," Piontek said. "They are going to feel like it is their turn to beat us."
If the Jennies can advance past Emporia, their reward will be a Friday matchup against the top seed, North Alabama. The Jennies lost to UNA 3-1 Sept. 9 in the Central Missouri Challenge.
Robertson said they are not worried about playing North Alabama, noting the last time the Jennies were in the Elite 8, they won on UNA's home court.
In another MIAA matchup, Truman will face Washburn one week after the Bulldogs defeated the Lady Blues in the MIAA championship game.