Sidney Ends Regular Season with Sweep

SIDNEY – The Sidney Lady Raider volleyball team put an exclamation point on their regular season Tuesday at the Cabela’s Athletic Facility. Playing Gering for the fourth time this year, Sidney wrapped up the regular season with a 25-21, 25-11, 25-16 win over the Bulldogs for their 25^th win of the season.

Although Sidney had won the three previous meetings between the two Western Conference opponents, each match was closer the one before it. Tuesdays match certainly looked like that trend would continue as Gering sprinted to an 11-5 first set lead. That’s when Sidney’s offense came alive with five kills and an 8-2 run to tie the set at 13-13. After a three-point run by Gering, junior Karsyn Leeling exploded for four kills to spark an 8-0 Lady Raider run to take a 21-16 lead. Sidney closed out the set for a 25-21 win.

The second set was all Sidney as the Lady Raiders bolted to a 17-7 lead. Sidney pounded 13 kills while the Bulldog offense could not get in synch, ending the set without a kill. The Lady Raiders took a 2-0 lead in sets with a 25-11 win.

Sidney once again started quickly in the third set building an early 15-6 lead. Junior Ella Rotherham spurred a 9-5 Gering rally with a pair of kills, but Sidney closed out the regular season on a 5-1 run for a 25-16 win.

Sidney was led by Karsyn Leeling’s 14 kills while junior Chloe Ahrens had 11 kills. Sophomore Kayla Westby added 7 kills in the win. Maddie Ray and Ella Rotherham led the Bulldogs with four kills apiece.

Sidney and Gering will be joined by Scottsbluff and Alliance for the B-8 sub-district next Tuesday and Wednesday at the Cabela's Athletic Facility.