ADEL — The door was open for the Perry volleyball team to simply fold camp and slink away from the ADM Invitational without any wins, but a resolute squad refused to go quietly.
Perry (2-11) had dropped a 2-0 (21-11, 21-14) match to Woodward-Granger to open play, then suffered a tough 2-1 setback (21-12, 19-21, 11-15) to Knoxville before ADM rapped the Jayettes with a 21-5, 21-11 win.
Coach John Fulton’s squad rallied, taking a 23-21 first set win over Norwalk. The Warriors came back to win the second set, 21-11, but Perry again showed some mettle by bouncing back for a 15-12 win and a 2-1 victory.
Unfortunately a 21-14, 21-15 loss to Nevada ended the five-match event, but the Jayettes played strongly in spots and several players provided impressive numbers.
Senior Jo Diw appeared for the first time this year, having recovered from an ankle injury. She led the team with 36 combined kills, added 30 digs and finished 13-of-24 serving with three digs.
Isabel Saemisch had 18 kills, Adriana Eastman and Sid Vancil five each and Gabby West with four while Mackenzie Ayers had one kill. West had two blocks at the net, with Ayers, Diw, Eastman and Saemisch making one apiece.
Vancil provided 52 assists, with Eastman tossing in three assists and Syd Guerra one. Guerra added 25 digs, Vancil 11, Eastman 10, Magley Orellana eight and West and Jaqueline Guardado one dig each.
Vancil was sharp behind the serving line, finishing 38-of-42 with 10 aces. Guerra was 28-33-1, Eastman 23-30-2 and Ayers 12-12-1 while Saemisch was 11-13-3 and West 4-of-8.
Perry will host ADM Tuesday for a Raccoon River Conference match and will then host their annual Jayette Invitational Thursday. Carlisle, Coon Rapids-Bayard, DC-G, Earlham, Ogden and Panorama are all slated to participate, with action beginning at 4:30 p.m.
