Lisbon volleyball picked up its 34th victory of the season in the regional quarterfinal round of the Class 2A playoffs on Wednesday, Oct. 22 with a 25-15, 25-27, 25-15, 25-19, win over West Branch.

Getting wins No. 35 and 36, will be a lot tougher.

“It’s an opportunity,” Lisbon Coach Lance Kamaus said. “If we play the way we did on Wednesday, we have a shot.”

Lisbon (34-9) traveled to No. 12 Wapsie Valley (22-17) on Monday, Oct. 27. Win that, and a regional final at No. 6 Union would be next.

“We have an opportunity,” Kamaus said. “We’re excited to go play Monday.”

Lisbon beat West Branch in every phase. Kamaus was proud of the Lions’ serve receiving and serving. They had 13 ace serves, led by three each from Alexa Roos, Kaitlyn Silver and Lauren Stolte.

“West Branch only aced us twice, so we were really good back there,” Kamaus said and credited Mykala Luzum-Selmon, Kyla Kahl and Shea Benhart as the main receivers. “Those three didn’t get ace’d once. Those three stood out on how well they received.”

Not only did they prevent aces, but they got the offense going. Lisbon hit .307 as a team in kill efficiency, led by Luzum-Selmon with 19 kills and a .400 efficiency and Kamryn Kahl, with 15 kills and a .351 efficiency.

“Our attacking at the net was phenomenal,” Kamaus said. “We did a really, really nice job.”

Alexa Roos and Silver each added five kills, and Benhart had four kills. Emersyn Reiter had 22 assists, and Stolte had 21 assists. Kyla Kahl had 18 digs and Luzum-Selmon had 17 digs.

Even when the Bears (18-18) won the second set, the Lions bounced right back.

“That was one we felt just got away from us,” Kamaus said. “We were up 12-6, and all of a sudden, it was 18-18.”

Lisbon trailed in the fourth set, 17-16, but Silver had two aces to start the march towards match point.

Kamaus said he’s never been up to Wapsie Valley before. “We’ll get up there early,” he said. “We don’t know the ceiling heighth, the color of the lines, or which side to be on. We’ll get familiar with it a little bit.”