SIDNEY — On Monday night in Sidney, the Yellow Jackets (4-3, 3-0 Miami Valley League – Valley) picked up their fourth win in a row and third straight conference win, taking down Stebbins (1-3, 0-3 MVL – Valley) in three sets, 25-15, 25-14, 25-20.

“I think just like any other day, we’ve got to be mentally ready to win a conference game. I tell them all the time that it’s a momentum thing, and they’ve got to be ready to go so that we can secure a conference title, hopefully,” Sidney head coach Reese Barhorst said.

Things started out close, with Sidney protecting a small lead for much of the first set, getting out in front by six heading into an Indian timeout. Stebbins was getting down on the floor and digging out the Yellow Jackets’ kill attempts.
“I tell them to go back there with a purpose every time. I feel like sometimes, we get in the groove of just wanting to keep the ball alive instead of finding a way to score,” Barhorst said. “So it just came down to, ‘Hey, be more aggressive. Don’t get passive with the ball and start swinging.’”

Also, Sidney had to adjust to an overinflated ball, causing some serves and kill attempts to sail long, which both helped and hurt them.

Out of the timeout where the Yellow Jackets led 14-8, they took control, taking the first set 25-15.

Sidney jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second set, forcing another timeout from Stebbins. The Indians adjusted, and stayed close to Sidney throughout the second set, but the Yellow Jackets adjusted as well. They found the floor more, and powered past Stebbins to take the second set by 11, 25-14.

The third set was where the Indians make some noise, hanging around after Sidney took a 14-10 lead into a timeout of their own.

Stebbins tied it at 17-17, but Sidney was able to put the pedal down, and take the third set, 25-20.

Barhorst said that against good teams, you have to be able to focus on what you can control, which is what the Yellow Jackets did on Monday, even when things got dicey.

“It’s always just shifting our mindset to, ‘You’ve got to focus on where we’re at, what we can control and limiting our mistakes,’” she said. “Against good teams like that, you don’t want to give up, we have to show just as much hustle and heart.”

The front line kept things moving, with Gabby Truesdale, Marlee Dodds, Reagan Oswalt and Kylie South collecting multiple big blocks, and some big-time kills when the team needed a boost.

Half of girls are seeing new or increased roles, and have stepped in nicely to fill them so far this season.

“I’m very impressed with the way they’ve been able to adjust,” Barhorst said. “I think the front line doesn’t have the success without our passers and our setters, but I’ve just been really proud of the development that we’ve had between setters and hitters.”

All four of Sidney’s wins have come since Aug. 24. Barhorst said that the team’s first three losses needed to happen in order for the team to get to where they have been over the last week.

“It took us losing a couple to figure it out, and I think we’ve really grown from that,” she said. “Our setters are really growing into their roles as somebody who touches the ball every point, so I’ve been really proud of that adjustment and also the adjustment for our hitters and finding ways to score.”

The Yellow Jackets will play again tomorrow, Sept. 1, and try to stretch their win streak to five games. They host West Carrollton (2-2, 0-2 MVL – Valley) at 6:30 p.m.

Reach SDN sports/assistant editor Rhys Patrykus at rpatrykus@aimmediamidwest.com and follow him on X (Twitter) @RhysPatrykus.