Vikings can?t counter Atlanta?s attack, host Au Gres Thursday

Vikings can?t counter Atlanta?s attack, host Au Gres tonight The Posen volleyball team, on a roll in the North Star League, winning four of its five matches against league foes, had a rematch Monday with the team that defeated it at districts last season.

The Vikings traveled to Atlanta and played a Huskie team that doesn?t have many new faces on their side of the court. Atlanta is experienced and has some heavy hitters at the net. Posen lost three starters from last year?s squad that defeated Atlanta twice during the regular season, but lost in the district semifinal match in Posen. Members of the Vikings volleyball team were anxious to avenge the loss to the Huskies, but went down in two straight games, 10-15 and 5-15.

?We can beat them,? said coach Elena Meharg shortly after the match. ?They (the players) know they can do it. They were behind against Hillman. It will make them work harder the next time they play them.? The red and white host Atlanta February 13. The Vikings defeated Hillman last Thursday in what Meharg called the ?best games all year.? After dropping the first game 13-15, Posen came back to win 15-8 and 17-15. That gave the Vikes a 4-1 league record, before slipping to 4-2 against Atlanta. After a home match with Au Gres, the Vikings are at Fairview Monday. The JV begins the action each night at 6 p.m.

THE FIRST game between Atlanta and Posen was the closer of the two. Trailing 5-2, the Vikes rallied on a kill from Katie Lewandowski and an ace down the right side of the court by junior Shannon Ciarkowski. Atlanta regained the lead at 8-6 but captain Julie Lewandowski tipped a ball at the net to stop the mini-streak. With sophomore Courtney Romel serving, Posen picked up a point, and was down 8-7, but sophomore Elizabeth Morton blistered a kill for the Huskies to return the serve to Atlanta.

The Vikings got the ball back and got a point on a Julie Lewandowski ace to make it 11-8, but the Huskies held off the challenge and took the first game. In game two, Posen was in a quick hole, 5-1, before coming back. After Atlanta made a sensational save, which brought the biggest cheer of the night from the Huskie crowd, the Vikings got an easier shot to handle over. It was not returned. Julie Lewandowski contributed another point with the ball hitting the net, but with enough power behind it, it creeped over the top, and the Vikes were down by one, 6-5. Atlanta had another kill to take the serve away and then went on a 9-0 run to end things.

?WE HAVEN?T experienced hitting like that this season,? said Meharg. There were also missed serves that squandered opportunities to score poin

ts. The coach said they?ll regroup and try to have a better counter-attack the next time the two school meet in February. Jaime Litwinski and Katie Lewandowski had nine digs apiece, while Julie had five. Ciarkowski and Romel had four digs. Julie had three kills, while junior Kyrie Kuffel had two. Julie and Shannon both had three blocks. The junior varsity improved to 5-1 after dropping its first game 7-15, but winning the final two, 15-6 and 15-12. Jackie Szczerowski had 17 assists, a kill and an ace. Beth Julian had five assists, three aces, two kills and one dig, while Jill Krajniak had four aces and 10 sets.

AGAINST HILLMAN, Ciarkowski had seven blocks. Romel and Katie Lewandowski had 17 digs each. Romel had 51 sets and nine assists. Kuffel had five kills, Ciarkowski four, and Julie three. The JV took care of Hillman in both games, 15-8 and 15-1. Krajniak had 10 sets, six assists, and two aces. Julian had five kills, two assists, two aces and one dig. Szczerowski had five assists, one kill and four aces, while Amanda Pieczynski had three aces, one dig and one kill.