The Lisbon varsity volleyball team dropped a very close contest with rivals Springville last Thursday, before winning their first-ever Kepros Invitational in Crestwood on Saturday.
Thurs. Sept. 9
The Lions lost in five sets to the Springville Orioles at home in a spirited match cheered on by two highly motivated student sections.
Lisbon took the first set by a score of 25-20, but Springville took the second 25-22. The Lions had momentum after taking the third set by a decisive 25-15 score, but Springville turned the tables on the home team by winning the fourth set 25-16.
The fifth set “was really tight the whole way,” Lions head coach Lance Kamaus remarked.
The score was tied at 11 at one point after the Orioles had hopped out to an early lead. Springville scored the next two points to make it 13-11, though the Lions would tie it up again before ultimately losing 17-15.
“It was a good match against two pretty good teams,” said Kamaus.
The coach said he was happy “the student section was loud, and we had a full side over there, and their side was full as well. It was a nice environment to be a part of.
“When you have two highly-ranked teams, and two teams that are rivals coming in, it’s pretty cool. A pretty cool environment to be a part of,” Kamaus said.
Sat. Sept. 11
The Lions had better luck at the annual Kepros Invitational in Crestwood, a journey the team started making every year in 2009.
The tourney guarantees each team six matches against what Kamaus declared “really good teams.”
The Lions finished 5-1.
After the loss two nights before to rivals Springville, the big finish was a relief of sorts to Kamaus.
“It was good to see how we responded yesterday coming back with a championship,” he said.
The Lions first defeated the Kee Hawks in two sets, before setting their sights on New Hampton — ranked 15th in 3A. The team beat Lisbon 21-19 and 21-16, though that wouldn’t be the final word.
The Lions bounced back from this loss to defeat Turkey Valley 21-9 and 22-20.
The next challenge was a Waterloo West team that Kamaus said knew would present a “tall challenge for us.” Regardless, the Lions won 2-0 with sets of 22-20 and 21-19.
Waukon, another 3A school, followed, but the Lions faced them after Waukon had just lost a “marathon three-setter,” and Kamaus said “we could kind of smell blood in the water there.”
In fact, “That was probably the best we played all year,” he said.
Lisbon beat the tired Waukon team by scores of 21-6 and 21-7.
Finally, the Lions were set to face New Hampton again, who had beat them the last time they faced off earlier in the day.
This time, Lisbon handled them with sets of 21-19 and 21-19.
The Lions were down 18-15 in the first set, but outscored the team 6-1 to win. In the second set, the Lions were up 18-13, but the Chicasaws tied it up at 18.
Kamaus did not call any timeouts, telling the team “let’s play through it.”
The teams ended up locked at 19 points before the Lions scored the next two points to win.
“They were excited,” said Kamaus.
“It was a really good week of volleyball. The kids love going up there. They know it’s a challenge, it’s a long trip, you don’t sleep well the night before, you play six matches. You know you’re going to have your hands full.”
The win brought the Lions the championship, which they had never won before, having never placed higher than third in the event.
Kamaus said he was “pretty excited about how we played.”
A couple of milestones happened during the event, as well.
Peyton Robinson, a junior, had ended the Springville match with 999 career digs, and scored her 1,000th at the tournament.
Another junior, Kali Nelson, provided her 1,000th career assist the same day.
The Lions next challenge Prince of Peace at home Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m., before hosting Saturday’s Lisbon Invitational, which kicks off at 9:30 a.m.
Lisbon’s Ella Clark attempts to spike the ball over the heads of some Springville defenders Thursday, Sept. 9