By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Traditionally, Washburn Rural loads up its early-season non-conference volleyball schedule with quality opponents, with veteran Junior Blues coach Kevin Bordewick figuring that win or lose the tough mathes will make his team better in the long run.
The 2021 campaign has been no different, with Rural taking on a Missouri state champion as well as perennial Kansas powers St. James Academy and Bishop Miege over the first week of the season.
So far the Junior Blues have passed each and every test, however, including an impressive sweep in Thursday's home triangular, improving to 5-0 on the season.
Washburn Rural's volleyball team celebrates a point during Thursday's triangular sweep at Rural. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural opened Thursday night's home opener with a 25-19, 25-14 victory over 25-time state champion Bishop Miege before taking a 25-6, 25-16 win over Gardner-Edgerton.
"Just in a week's time we've had five matches and I think we've had a lot of improvement with every match in some area,'' Bordewick said. "Now we've had some where we kind of regressed a little bit, but I thought against Gardner we were passing well, setting well, defending well.
"That first set against Gardner I thought we were pretty sharp all the way around.''
Washburn Rural senior Katelynn Brogan (9) makes a return as teammate Jada Ingram stands by Thursday night at Rural. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
While happy with the Junior Blues' start to the year, Bordewick knows that there are still plenty of challenges coming up.
"Even over the next two or three weeks we've got Olathe Northwest, Blue Valley West,'' Bordewick said. "We've still got a tough schedule ahead of us so whatever is done is done. We've got to look to the future and that starts tomorrow in practice.''
Washburn Rural junior star Brooklyn DeLeye goes up for a kill Thursday night at Rural. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Bishop Miege, the defending Class 4A state champion, led 9-7 in the first set against Rural, but 6-foot-2 Junior Blue junior star Brooklyn DeLeye, who has orally committed to defending NCAA national champion Kentucky, took over the match at that point.
A DeLeye kill ended a Miege mini-run and then DeLeye delivered five straight service aces during a long service run as Rural opened up a commanding 17-9 lead.
The Stags fought back to get as close as 21-18, but got no closer as the Junior Blues closed out the win on a DeLeye kill and a dink from junior Chloe Carlgren.
Miege hung around for awhile in the second set but Rural turned a 10-7 lead into advantages of 15-7 and 21-11 en route to the 11-point win.
The Junior Blues put on a clinic in the first set against Gardner-Edgerton, ending the rout with a long service run from 5-11 senior Katelynn Brogan.
The Trailblazers put up more of a fight in the second set, but Rural was never seriously challenged after opening up an early 14-4 advantage.
Gardner-Edgerton topped Miege 25-23, 27-25 in the middle match of the night.
MATCH RESULTS
Washburn Rural def. Bishop Miege, 25-19, 25-14; Gardner-Edgerton def. Bishop Miege, 25-23, 27-25; Washburn Rural def. Gardner-Edgerton, 25-6, 25-16.
