Class 2: Scott City-Maryville

Game one:

This is a big game for the Rams title hopes because Maryville swept College Heights Christian to open pool play.

3-2 Scott City. Too early for any trends.

6-4 Scott City. I get the feeling that both teams are still feeling each other out. I don't think either know much about the other.

7-4 Scott City. Brooke Simpson just had her best swing of the day on a set to the left of middle. She's back to serve now.

8-7 Scott City. Mikah Simpson just killed a ball in front of the 10-foot line. And she's in the back row. The refs missed it.

9-9 tie. Katie Hogan just rescued Jordan McFall, who put a bump-set over the net to Maryville's middle. Hogan stuffed the attack.

10-10 tie. Back and forth we go. Neither team has been able to get in rhythm just yet.

15-10 Scott City. Maryville doesn't seem to have an answer for Brooke Simpson at this point. She is back in the front row and just destroyed an overpass.

17-11 Scott City. Timeout Maryville.

17-14 Scott City. Brooke Simpson just got stuffed in the middle. To be fair, it was a pretty high and right-in-the-middle set.

19-16 Scott City. Stephanie Essner with a kill to get Scott City a sideout.

19-18 Scott City. Maryville responds with a kill from the outside.

20-19 Scott City. The Rams offense is quite firing on all cylinders just yet. When the sets are there, the kills are there, but that hasn't been the case on a regular basis. Not blaming setters, the passing has been hit and miss as well. Of course, the level of competition has a lot to do with that. Maryville has a lot of talent.

22-19 Scott City. Maryville timeout. McFall to serve for SC.

23-20 Scott City. Hogan with a kill out of the middle. We'll see if that helps her get her swing going.

23-22 Scott City. Timeout Rams. The last serve before the timeout was an ace for Maryville. Scott City looks a little flat right now.

23-23 tie. Brooke Simpson hitting error from back row.

25-23 Scott City. Mikah Simpson finished the game off with back-to-back kills, including the last one on an overpass. She's having the best day for Scott City so far.

That was a big, big, big win for Scott City's title hopes.

Game two:

2-0 Scott City. Katie Diebold to serve for Scott City after a Brooke Simpson tip for a kill.

6-1 Scott City. Timeout Maryville.

7-1 Scott City. Longest point of the match goes to the Rams. Maryville is looking a little shocked. They entered this match 36-1, so getting beat is not something they're used to.

11-1 Scott City. Mikah Simpson has been serving for a while now.

12-2 Scott City. Mikah Simpson's streak came to an end, but the Rams got the ball back on the next point.

13-3 Scott City. I wrote earlier that Mikah Simpson was having the best day for Scott City, but Stephanie Essner is not far behind. She just got another kill on the outside. I'm looking ahead here, but the contributions from those two would have to be huge against Hermann if Scott City were to win a rematch in my mind.

17-5 Scott City. Mikah Simpson with another kill, which Hogan followed on the next point with one of her own.

18-5 Scott City. Maryville timeout. Scott City still isn't playing as well as they're capable, but they are closer to that level right now than they've been all day.

21-7 Scott City. Another big hit from Brooke Simpson. Maryville was in the net, but the ball was never getting dug.

22-8 Scott City. And again for Brooke Simpson.

24-9 Scott City. And again for Brooke Simpson. They've got no answer for her.

25-10 Scott City. Katie Hogan finished off the win with a kill on the outside. She's looked a little down on herself today. Jordan McFall took her by the wrist and talked to her a bit during game one, trying to pump her up a bit. She looked a little relieved after that last swing, which was a good one. Hopefully for her, that'll get her going.

I don't have stats from this game just yet, but the Rams are now firmly back in control of their own championship-game hopes.