By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Riding a 44-match win streak, the Silver Lake volleyball team faced an up-and-coming Rossville team on the Bulldawgs’ home court Tuesday. Something had to give.
The Bulldawgs advanced to the Class 2A state tournament a year ago and started the new season ranked third by the Kansas Volleyball Association. They were energized by a chance to upset the defending Class 3A champion Eagles. But Silver Lake held off the challenge Tuesday, winning 25-23, 25-18.
Silver Lake junior Kaylee Deiter (23) goes up for a kill in Tuesday's triangular at Rossville. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Both Rossville and Silver Lake defeated Hiawatha in earlier matches of the Rossville Lady Dawgs triangular. In the headliner, Rossville’s all-state senior Nora Burdieck hammered away at the Eagles, keeping the matches close. But in the end, Silver Lake improved to 9-0 this season and maintained its win streak, which dates back to a Sept. 11, 2025 loss to Shawnee Heights.
Silver Lake senior Jaylie Whitehead makes a return during Tuesday's volleyball triangular at Rossville, [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
“They push us to be better,” Silver Lake coach Sarah Johnson said of playing Rossville, which last year qualified for the state tournament for the first time in 20 years. “Defending a fantastic hitter like (Burdieck) really gets us out of our comfort zone and just makes us better. So (our players) love the rivalry. They love to play them, and then they love to win. And then they love to say ‘Hey, what’s up?’ to the girls across the net after the game.”
Johnson noted that injuries have complicated the first few weeks of the new season for the defending champs. In particular, both of the Eagles’ top middle blockers have been sidelined for parts of the season.
“We’ve been battling some stuff,” Johnson said. “I’m working in some people and seeing who’s gonna step up, who’s gonna make something happen out there. I’ve probably subbed more in the last couple of weeks than I did all last year.”
Rossville senior Nora Burdiek (22) spikes the ball during Tuesday's volleyball triangular at Rossville. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Rossville battled back from a four-point deficit early in the first set Tuesday to take a 22-19 lead. But the Eagles clawed their way back for the win before claiming the second set decisively. Despite the loss to Silver Lake, the Bulldaws are off to a 6-3 start this year.
“This team is already excelling in so many ways on and off the court,” Rossville coach Dani Dodge said. “We have a lot of returning players, and even though we have a really young team, they are so disciplined and work so well together. This is such a good group because you tell them one thing and they’ll start doing it.”
Rossville now has a trip to state under its belt and is striving for more.
“We didn’t really have an expectation (to go far at state last year) but we were like ‘Let’s go fight for it,’ ” Dodge said. “It was just a great feeling that we made it there. That’s an accomplishment that not many (at Rossville) have made recently, obviously.
“But now we have the expectation that we’re coming back. We are ready to take the whole state title. You can tell that the experience made them realize what we did last year, that we can improve. We’re gonna fix those little mistakes, those little errors, and we’re really gonna amp up our game this year.”
Johnson and the Eagles have similarly high expectations for this season. Not surprisingly, the defending 3A champs started the season ranked at the top of their classification.
“I’ve got a nice core back, but we’re filling some big spots,” Johnson said. “I’m trying to push that core to the next level. And then we’re trying to catch up all these newbies, you know, and say ‘Hey come play this way with us. It’s fun. It’s competitive. This is the Silver Lake way.’
“I have high expectations for all of them, no matter who I’m throwing on the court. A lot of the girls who are playing now were on that state team a year ago, but saw very little court time, got little or no playing time at all. Now they are tasting it. They want to live up to that.”
MATCH RESULTS
Rossville def. Hiawatha, 25-11, 25-15; Silver Lake def. Hiawatha, 25-16, 25-19; Silver Lake def. Rossville 25-23, 25-18.
