Cardinals drop match to LCC

LAUREL - The Randolph volleyball team made the 14-mile trip east on Highway 20 to take on Laurel-Concord-Coleridge on Sept. 5 still searching for the first win of the young season.

The Lady Cardinals had a hopeful start to the match but eventually fell in straight sets, 25-13, 25-8 and 25-6.

“We started the match playing very well in the first set,” Randolph coach, Lyndsee English said. “Then a couple girls got confused in the rotation and they let it affect them the rest of the set. After getting beat the first set, we lost all confidence and didn’t put up much of a fight in the second or third.”

Mabel Ngebeh led the Randolph attack with four winners in the match, Jenna Guenther added two.

The Lady Cardinals did get three ace serves one each by Lilly Kuchta, Katarina Greiner and Guenther and five assists from Lexi Backhaus.

Alaina Schulz added three set assists.

Greiner had three three blocks defensively; Sydney Robinson contributed one. Kuchta and Backhaus each had six digs, Greiner had five and Schulz had four.

“A huge focus for us is to focus on letting mistakes go,” English said. “Putting a loss behind us and coming back strong to fight for the win in the next set. We can’t lose confidence and give up.”

English is hopeful of the return of Brooke Meier to the lineup for a very busy schedule this week.

Meier has been out due to illness. The Lady Cardinals were set to take on Hartington-Newcastle on Sept. 9 before traveling to Ponca on Sept. 10.

Sept. 12 will find Randolph on the road to Allen to take on Tri County Northeast and Osmond in a triangular with a pair of Lewis & Clark Conference opponents.

Laurel-Concord-Coleridge defeats Randolph 25-13, 25-8, 25-6. RANDOLPH LEADERS: Ace Serves-Lilly Kuchta 1, Katarina Greiner 1, Jenna Guenther 1; Kills-Mabel Ngebeh 4, Jenna Guenther 2; Blocks-Katarina Greiner 3, Sydney Robinson 1; Set Assists-Lexi Backhaus 5, Alaina Schulz 3; Digs-Alaina Schulz 4, Lilly Kuchta 6, Katarina Greiner 5, Lexi Backhaus 6.