Gehlen Catholic volleyball met up with Unity Christian in a matchup of perennial state tournament teams on Tuesday night. The Jays came away with a straight-set loss to the Knights in War Eagle Conference action.
Gehlen’s offense was defined by its inability to consistently attack around blocks of Unity Christian. The Knights combined for 18 blocks throughout the game to keep Gehlen from having success offensively. Gehlen Catholic Head Coach Dan Goebel says preparing for something in practice versus executing in a match can be tough to do.
Gehlen’s defense was also well-tested with Unity Christian’s hitters who hit an impressive .307 in the win. Coach Goebel says you need a strong back row to go up against a team that hits as well as Unity Christian does.
The Jays did show some glimpses of great play. Gehlen Catholic trailed 24-14 in the second set and rattled off seven straight points to keep the set alive. Coach Goebel says it’s important for his team to see that hard work turning into success on the court.
The Jays have a busy week that continues into Thursday with a matchup at South O’Brien and then a weekend tournament at Le Mars Community. Coach Goebel says, if the Jays can play every game with this strong intensity, then they will be in a good spot this season.
Gehlen Catholic is now 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the War Eagle Conference. Unity Christian continues a 90-game conference winning streak and starts 2022 with a 1-0 conference record.
