YATES CENTER — The Yates Center Wildcats have won four of their last five after sweeping the Kansas School for the Deaf and Hartford during Monday’s triangular.
After opening the evening with a 25-10, 25-13 sweep of the Kansas School for the Deaf Jackrabbits, the Wildcats came from behind to take the first set of the finale from the Hartford Jaguars 26-25 and then secured the sweep with a 25-14 blowout.
“We pulled it out, but we probably didn’t play our best,” Yates Center coach Carrie Cummings said. “We could have hung our heads after the first game and let it go. We just kept fighting and that shows heart. That’s what you have to have against better competitors.”
Junior outside hitter Cayten Cummings had a team-leading four kills in the opener, followed by senior outside hitter Wylee Shaffer with three. Cummings was second to junior outside hitter Mylin Tidd in aces with four to Tidd’s five.
Shaffer stressed the importance of maintaining the team’s positive energy after taking third at the Uniontown Invitational earlier this month.
“It felt great to keep the momentum going,” Shaffer said. “We’ve had a couple of years where we’ve had bad records, so we’re fighting to keep climbing.”
AGAINST HARTFORD, the Wildcats rallied from a deep deficit to take the lead and the match in extra sets after a pair of consecutive kills by senior outside hitter Kinley Morrison. Morrison ended the match as team-leader in kills with 10, followed by Cummings’ seven kills. Schaffer had a team-leading six aces, followed by senior setter Madison Hall with three.
“We tend to play down to the other team’s level and get in our own heads,” Shaffer said. “When we’re in a good mindset, we help each other out and do really well.”
The offense ran through setters Tidd and Hall, who tied Tidd for assists with eight each. Hall said much of their success comes from trust and keeping themselves emotionally in check regardless of the situation.
“We always keep our head up when we’re together as a team,” Hall said. “You have to have trust in your hitters. Without trust in your hitters, it won’t go that smooth.”
THE WILDCATS return to the hardwood this Saturday for the Humboldt Invitational. Pool play begins at 8:30 a.m. Although she expects to play some tough teams this weekend, Coach Cummings said it was nice to play against the Kansas School for the Deaf. The Jackrabbits played as if every serve was match-point, and Cummings believes teams can learn a few lessons from their approach.
“We played them last year in Hartford, so we knew what to expect from them a little bit,” said Cummings. “They play with so much joy. It’s hard for them to communicate. I tell my girls, ‘Look at how they communicate. Why can’t we communicate better?’ It brings you back down to Earth and makes you humble because they’re out there playing their hearts out.”
