No excuses. Just play.
That’s what Newton High sophomore Ryanne Rausch talked about as the Cardinals head into Class 4A Region 4 tournament play Monday. The Cardinals, who only have one senior on the team this season, move into the playoffs against Little Hawkeye Conference foe Oskaloosa.
“We can’t use the excuse we’re young any more,” Rausch said. “Coach (Laura Rowen) is right on that. We have a full regular season under our belts. We know we have to play better volleyball.”
The Cardinals (7-28) go to Oskaloosa (12-23) Monday for a 7 p.m. match.
“We’ve played Oskaloosa twice this season and lost both times, but we had opportunities in both matches to win a set and didn’t do it,” said Laura Rowen, NHS head coach. “We stressed to the girls that the being young excuse isn’t in play anymore. They need to step up and play.”
Oskaloosa’s Indians defeated the Cardinals, 21-18, 22-20, in Newton’s early-bird tournament in late August. Newton came up short again when Oskaloosa played on the Cardinals’ court on Oct. 7 with the Indians winning 25-15, 25-18, 25-12.
“But it’s tournament time and I told the girls, tournament time means its a fresh slate. Anything can happen in the regional tournament,” Rowen said. “It comes down to finding that competitive drive.
“I stepped in an played during practice this week because we were short a player. The girls wanted to know why I was mad. I was losing at the time and I don’t like to lose. I’m that competitive. I want the girls to develop that drive.”
Rausch said the Newton players realize they have to play harder as individuals and as a team.
“We get back to practice this week and take how we practice to the court in a match,” Rausch said.
Rowen said the coaches are stumped with the fact that the Cardinals practice hard and “look great, then step on the court for a match and it appears they forget all we worked on. They also know that everyone has to be ready to go in and play. Our lineups will change from set to set.”