Lady Wolves shout BINGO

Reeds Spring’s (l-r) Tessa Peterson, Brittany Stone, Sam Jones, Jerrica Carroll, Bailey Dodson and Jacklyn Stone are all smiles during the Lady Wolves’ celebration of their second straight Class 3 Final Four berth this past Saturday.

BDN photo
by Pat Dailey

By Pat Dailey
BDN Sports Editor
pdailey@bransondailynews.com

MARSHFIELD — After masterfully playing a guessing game against Carl Junction and Rogersville on Saturday, Brittany Stone and her Reeds Spring teammates couldn’t wait to return home and play BINGO.

Each and every one of the Lady Wolves were able to apply one big, fat sticker reading Final Four on their BINGO cards, a motivational tool by coach Becky Lipasek in which each player can fill one of 24 spots by reaching an individual or team goal.

Some of Reeds Spring’s players will take a full BINGO card to the Class 3 State Volleyball Tournament this upcoming weekend, after the Lady Wolves (30-5) swept their sectional match against Carl Junction 25-16, 25-14 and rolled all over Rogersville 28-26, 25-18 in a quarterfinal.

“The BINGO cards have been a big deal to us,” Stone said after collecting seven kills and a game-winning block against the Lady Wildcats. “It’s fun for us to get as many goals and stickers as we can. We’ve made it a competition.”

Indeed, in a season in which Reeds Spring has had more than its share of sweeps, the BINGO cards have always kept things interesting among the Lady Wolves.

“Brittany was beating me by one sticker before today,” said defensive specialist Lizzy White, who served for 11 points against Rogersville. “I better be winning now.

“They really do motivate you. Going into a game, if I had to get five aces to get a sticker for my card and I’ve got four, that makes me want to get another one that much more.”

Only stickers for individual goals can be attained this week. Lipasek doesn’t feel the need to stroke her players’ fire by offering a sticker for a state championship. A title trophy will surely be enough reward. And with it would come the distinction of being the first Reeds Spring team to win a state championship in any sport.

“We want to have a shot at a state championship,” Lipasek said. “That in itself is all we need. We don’t need a sticker for that.”

The rest of the Final Four will be made up of Westminster Christian Academy (27-7), O’Hara (21-12) and Lutheran South (29-5-1). Reeds Spring beat Lutheran South for third place at state last year. O’Hara lost in quarterfinals last season and Westminster didn’t even make it past districts.

The teams will play each other at 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Friday, with the championship and third-place matches to be held on Saturday.

“Last year, we weren’t even sure how it works when we got there,” Jones said. “We didn’t know who we had to beat and that we could lose to someone and still qualify for the first-place match. This year, we will know what to expect.”

Reeds Spring gradually gained on Saturday a better feel for how Rogersville was going to attack offensively. The Lady Wildcats had one game point in the opening game, but weren’t able to keep up with the Lady Wolves in the nightcap.

Reeds Spring took the match’s final five points.

White and libero Jerrica Carroll took notice of Rogersville’s hitters attacking on every attempt at the net. By the second game, tips were nonexistent.

“We were picking up all the digs and at one point I figured they would start tipping, but they never did,” said Carroll, who again proved she’s the best back-row performer in the Central Ozark Conference by posting 33 digs in the two matches.

“It’s a lot easier if you can play back and move forward than playing up and having to move backward.”

Added White: “I was surprised they didn’t tip more. When we played them in-season, they tipped a lot. But all I can remember them tipping tonight is maybe four times.”

Against Rogersville, Carroll had 20 digs, Tessa Peterson 16, Jones 12 and White seven. The Lady Wolves had 73 digs overall, after having 36 versus Carl Junction.

Meanwhile, Stone mixed up her tips and attacks perfectly.

“She’s got such a good off-speed game and can hit to her left or right,” Lipasek said.

“It really helps a passer if they know all they have to do is back up and be ready for (an attack),” Stone said. “You have to keep them on their toes.”