Panthers broom Bloodhounds

FORT MADISON - The Mt. Pleasant volleyball team hadn't beaten Fort Madison in seven years leading up to Tuesday night's Class 4A Regional opener, and the Panthers had lost two heartbreakers against the Bloodhounds in a pair of showdowns this season. But it's not the regular season before, and Mt. Pleasant made that loud and clear with a first round sweep in the Hound Dome, winning 25-20, 25-20, 25-22 in the Class 4A Region 8 quarterfinal.

The Panthers started out in a 4-1 hole but a 5-2 run knotted the opening set up at 6-6. Mt. Pleasnat led by as much as five, leading 12-7 on an Elli Liechty ace, but Fort Madison wouldn't go away. The game was tied at 15-15 and then again at 20-20.

With the score knotted up, Karsyn Lamm set up for a swing, and sent it down to the Bloodhound side of the court. That was her seventh kill of the set, and the first of five-straight Panther points to close out the opener.

'I really wanted to win this game,” Lamm said. 'I definitely didn't want the season to end tonight.”

After Karsyn broke the tie, little sister Kenna Lamm brought the game home. Ke. Lamm had two kills in the last three points, including the game-winner to give the Panthers a five-point first set victory and a 1-0 overall lead.

The Bloodhounds led early again in the second set, taking four of the first six points to lead 4-2. Liechty tied the game up at 6-6, and Ka. Lamm scored on an ace to give the Panthers a 7-6 lead. The Bloodhounds were never on top in the second from that point on.

Ke. Lamm had three kills and an ace in the second set. Ka. Lamm finished with two kills and an ace, and blocked a Bloodhound hitter on the game-winning point, which put Mt. Pleasant one set away from advancement.

The Panthers looked to be well on their way to an easy third-set victory, leading 18-11 after a kill by Tristan Shull, but Fort Madison had one more push in them. The Bloodhounds scored seven points in a row to tie the game at 18-18.

'We definitely knew they were coming back, and they're a good team,” Ka. Lamm said. 'We needed to figure out a way to get one point.”

When Mt. Pleasant needed a big point, it once again turned to Ka. Lamm. She tallied back-to-back kills stunt the Bloodhound run, and the Panthers ended the night on a 7-4 run, including the match-winning block by Maddie Moore.

'It feels good to come down here and win,” said Panther head coach David Streeter. 'It's always tough to play in this gym, because they always have a good crowd, so to come down and play like we did was great to see.”

That was Mt. Pleasant's fourth win in seven days, all against Southeast Conference Opponents. They Panthers will play another one on Thursday night when they head to Burlington for their regional semifinal.

'If we come out and play like tonight, it will be a good match to watch,” said Streeter.

The Panthers will enter that game with a 15-16 record. Burlington is 17-7, but Mt. Pleasant playing their best volleyball of the season.

'They're hitting their peak,” Streeter said. 'They know they can do it.”

If Mt. Pleasant wins on Thursday night, they will face off with either Fairfield or No. 3 North Scott in the regional final on Oct. 27.