EBF Volleyball Sweeps Centerville but Looks to Improve After Sluggish Performance
On September 3, 2024, the Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (EBF) volleyball team triumphed over Centerville in straight sets, securing a 25-12, 25-15, 25-13 victory. Despite the commanding win, EBF head coach Gladys Genskow expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s overall performance, noting a lack of intensity following a strong weekend showing.
“A win’s a win, but not a good match for us after coming off a great weekend,” Genskow said. “We had some positive moments, but we have set our expectations high to get to the level we need to be. The intensity was not there tonight.”
Leading the Rockets offensively was Molly Shafer, who delivered a stellar performance with 17 kills, going 27-for-29 on attacks. She also contributed 2 assists, 10 digs, and 3 aces. Her sister, Kate Shafer, was instrumental in setting up the offense, tallying 27 assists alongside 4 kills, 6 digs, and 2 blocks.
Lacey Taylor provided a steady presence, going 17-for-17 on attacks with 8 kills and adding 3 aces and 3 digs. Chloe Lyon was a force at the net, recording 5 kills and 4 blocks. Meanwhile, Kinley Lobberecht led the team from the service line, contributing 4 aces while going 19-for-22 on serves and racking up 7 digs.
The Rockets struggled with serving consistency early on, particularly in the first set where they gave up 8 points on serving errors. “The first set serving errors were disappointing,” Genskow said. “We gave up 8 of those 12 points on just serving errors. The next two sets were better on serving, but lacked the execution at times, leading to errors.”
Despite these setbacks, EBF’s depth allowed them to work on various offensive strategies, with players like Ella Ray, Lanie Batterson, and Attie Lobberecht all making contributions. Batterson added a solo block to her stat line, while Lobberecht chipped in with two aces.
The team now looks to regroup and fine-tune their game before their next match. “We will reflect on how we can improve that aspect of our game and not allow a team to score that many points off our errors,” Genskow said. EBF’s next challenge will be on September 10 for Parent’s Night.
