Sikeston extends winning streak with Senior Night victory

Sikeston's Katherine Ressel (15) serves during a 3-0 win over Oran at the Field House on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024.

Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat

SIKESTON — With four consecutive victories, Sikeston is riding a wave of momentum as the district tournament approaches. 

The Lady Bulldogs (8-15-0) winning streak is a much-needed boost that should be valuable to the team in terms of morale, composure, and overall performance.

“As we head into districts that confidence and consistency is everything,” said Sikeston coach Steve Beydler. “We began the season with a very tough schedule and we’ve really needed this.”

Sikeston's Kennedy Watson (25) serves during a 3-0 win over Oran at the Field House on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024.

Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat

Sikeston began the season with a daunting lineup of opponents, where 15 of its first 20 adversaries currently boasted winning records. This challenging start has only made their recent victories sweeter, as the team is finding its rhythm at a crucial time.

Sikeston began the season with a daunting lineup of opponents, where 15 of its first 20 adversaries currently boasted winning records. This challenging start has only made their recent victories sweeter, as the team has found its rhythm at a crucial time.

The winning streak started with a decisive 2-0 victory against Charleston (2-22-0) in the SEMO Conference Tournament. The Lady Bulldogs won the first set 25-15 before dominating the second set 25-0. Standout performances came from Katie Rose Ressel, who delivered five aces, and Leighton Copeland, who contributed three kills and two aces. 

Ruby Osborn added three kills and an ace, while Kennedy Watson orchestrated the offense with nine assists and two digs. This victory was pivotal in establishing the team’s confidence and setting a positive trajectory for the matches that followed.

Sikeston continued their winning ways with a commanding performance at Kelly (2-22-0) on October 7, sweeping the match with scores of 25-6, 25-9, 25-8.

“Our goal was to have some fun, work on our serves and make sure that we pushed past and kept the basics going,” Beydler said. “For the most part, we accomplished all those goals.”

Aubreigh Landers led the charge with seven kills and one dig, while Khielynn Pobst added six kills and a block. Claudia Rowland’s three aces and two digs, along with Copeland’s five aces and two kills, further solidified the team’s dominance.

Bailey Null’s five digs and Watson’s impressive 21 assists highlighted the team’s cohesive play.

The Lady Bulldogs’ third victory in their streak was a hard-fought win against Oran at the Field House on Wednesday, Oct. 9, with scores of 25-8, 25-20, 25-17.

“Our serving stood out and was spot on,” Beydler said. “We covered well. We had a couple issues with the deep attack but it only happened a couple of times. Our digging and serve receive was getting the ball right to [Watson] where she needed to have options for her attack.”

This match held special significance as Sikeston avenged a previous loss from the SEMO Conference Tournament.

Landers recorded 13 kills and Copeland added 11. Osborn’s eight assists, six kills, and one block, along with Null’s eight digs, were crucial in securing the win. 

“We have really been working with the attackers, and they started to get it clicking tonight,” Beydler said. “[Lander, Copeland and Osborn] all hit it verywell.”

Watson’s 34 assists, seven digs, and four kills underscored her vital role in the team’s success.

The most recent victory was a thrilling 28-26, 28-26, 25-18 Senior Night win over Malden (12-15-1) at the Field House on Oct. 10.

Standout performances fueled the victory, with Osborn leading the way with 13 kills and three blocks. Landers contributed eight kills and a block, while Watson finished with six digs and two aces. Copeland excelled defensively with 15 digs and also added 12 kills and an ace. Null recorded 19 digs, and Izzy Mitchell chipped in with 11 digs.

Sikeston will finish the regular season with a three-game road trip, at Kennett (15-11-1) on Oct. 15, at New Madrid County Central (11-9-3) on Oct. 17 and at East Prairie (12-8-1) on Oct. 21.