The Mitchell High School volleyball team couldn’t continue its winning ways on Tuesday.
The Kernels were coming off two straight wins over Sturgis and Brookings, but couldn’t make it three in a row against one-win Yankton.
The Kernels dropped a 3-1 match against Eastern South Dakota Conference foe Yankton on Tuesday at the MHS gym. The set scores were 25-17, 22-25, 25-23 and 25-22.
“They played a lot more inspired,” Mitchell coach Deb Thill said. “Yankton did. They hustled. They outplayed us. So you have to give them the credit there.”
The Kernels (4-8) had a full week to prepare for the Gazelles (2-13). However, they looked flat in the opening set and that set the tone for the match. Mitchell committed a host of hitting and serve-receiving errors.
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“We had communication errors, which this time of the season should not happen,” Thill said. “It’s unacceptable.”
After each team took a set, Yankton turned the tide in the pivotal third set. The Kernels were in control with a 23-18 advantage, but the Gazelles rattled off seven straight points to take a 2-1 lead.
“I’ve been on both sides of that,” Thill said. “We’ve been on the other end too where we’ve been down 23-16 and comeback all the way and win. It’s a good learning experience and that’s how we have to face it as a learning experience. We’ve got to fight through that.”
The Gazelles closed it out in the third set to snap a 10-match losing streak and picked up their win over a South Dakota team this season. It was also snapped Yankton's 26-match ESD losing streak.
Cameryn Logan finished with 13 kills and 12 digs, while Lizzie Tyler added eight kills and eight digs. Sarah Sebert posted 21 digs, while Jurzee Gregg finished with 16 assists. Katy Sebert handed out 12 assists.
The Kernels host Rapid City Central at 7 p.m. on Friday. They also will host Rapid City Stevens at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
“We’ve got two more opportunities here coming up this weekend and hopefully our girls can just focus one match at a time,” Thill said. “We have the tools. So we just have to keep getting better.”
JV: Mitchell won 25-20, 22-25, 15-10
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Mitchell leaders: Alyssa Magee 21 digs; Taylor Giblin 9 kills, 14 digs, 1 ace.
Sophomore: Mitchell won 25-19, 25-20.
Freshman A: Mitchell won 25-22, 25-16.
Freshman B: Mitchell won 25-8, 25-10.
