SPEARFISH, S.D. — The Spearfish Spartans volleyball team put together one of their most complete performances of the season on Monday night, sweeping the Custer Wildcats in three sets (25-17, 25-15, 25-17) to improve to 12-5 on the year. The Wildcats, who came in with a strong 13-4 record, slipped to 13-5 after the defeat.
Spartans Show Depth Amid Injuries
With several players sidelined, the Spartans needed others to step up—and they delivered. Sophomore standout Julia Billington led the way with 10 kills, while Kaitlyn Wheaton chipped in eight and Adelyn Bouman added seven.
Head Coach Shelbie Richards credited Wheaton in particular for her all-around effort.
“She played fantastic, she did all the little things we want her to do and it was a lot of fun watching her last night,” Richards said.
Serving and Defense Seal It
Spearfish’s strong serving attack kept Custer off balance all night. Kali Reiners recorded three aces, while Billington and Bouman each added two of their own. Defensively, the Spartans leaned on Faith Hoffman, who had a game-high 21 digs to keep the Wildcats’ hitters in check.
Although Spearfish showed some signs of letting up in the third set—a trend that has surfaced at times this season—the Spartans held firm down the stretch. It was the second straight match they’ve managed to finish strong in the third, something Coach Richards noted as a step forward.
“I felt like they did better than they did against Sturgis,” Richards said. “We just need to keep focusing on things we can control when there’s not a lot of energy going on and go from there.”
Looking Ahead
The win keeps Spearfish rolling and gives them another quality victory over a team near the top of the Class A standings. The Spartans will now hit the road for a matchup against St. Thomas More in Rapid City on Tuesday, September 30. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
