Knight spikers serve Kards with sweep

Jeremiah Bartz/Frontiersman

PALMER — In volleyball, a 20-point run by a team is fairly rare — even with rally scoring, where a point is scored on every play.

So considering that, how unusual would it be to see a 20-point run by a single player?

Albeit improbable, Colony senior Desi Diselrod proved the feat is not impossible.

Diselrod served a remarkable 20 straight points in the second game to spark the Knights’ 3-0 (25-16, 25-3, 25-14) sweep of visiting Kenai Central on Saturday morning at Colony High School.

Following the match, Colony head coach Amy Carter was sort of amazed by the run her standout setter enjoyed behind the service line.

“We’ve never done that,” Carter. “It’s really awesome to actually serve that many in a row.”

Diselrod said in a situation like that, a player sort of gets into a zone.

“You just concentrate, focus,” the senior said. “You can’t let anything distract you.”

Diselrod scored six aces during the run. And to prove how effective her serves continued to be, three of Diselrod’s aces came on the 16th, 19th and 20th points of the stretch.

Diselrod continuously sent hard, accurate shots over the net, and solid play from her teammates kept Kenai off the scoreboard for most of the second game.

Hannah Curtis posted six of her match-high 14 kills in the second game, and the Knights forced six Kardinal errors during the 20-point run.

Carter also noted Diselrod’s all-around play in the match. Diselrod had 22 assists.

Junior Jackie Hamann led the Knights with 14 digs.

But serving was the story, not just for Diselrod, but the team.

The Knights committed only two service errors during the win.

“That’s something we’ve been working on,” Carter said.

Kenai kept play close in the first game, using small runs to claw back into the contest after an early deficit. Hannah Delaney’s kill cut Colony’s lead to 10-8, and Britt Kiser’s service ace brought the Kardinals within one point.

But behind the serving of senior captain Kristen Coan, the Knights used a seven-point run to take the 17-10 lead.

In the third game, a Kyla Steward kill gave the Kards a 4-3 lead, but the Knights took control of the match-deciding game with a 10-4 run highlighted by a service ace, kill and solo block — all from junior Allie Grazulis.

The Knights improved to 6-1 in Northern Lights Conference play with the win.

Colony also scored a 3-0 (25-15, 25-14, 25-22) over Soldotna on Friday.

Curtis posted a team-high 14 kills, and added nine digs and six blocks. Hamann led the team with 11 digs against Soldotna, and Coan recorded nine kills and eight digs.