By CONOR NICHOLL

cnicholl@dailynews.net

Junior middle hitter Macy Linn saw a different Hays High School volleyball team in its second meeting with Western Athletic Conference foe Dodge City.

Earlier this season, the Indians lost to Dodge City in what Indian coach Bob Schmitz called "one of the worst games we have played." On Thursday, though, the team delivered a 22-25, 25-21, 25-21 victory in the Indians' lone bright spot of the Hays High Quadrangular at the HHS gym.

"I think we worked together a lot better," Linn said. "We believed that we could do it, before we were intimidated by them. We were so scared, we played scared. This time, we went out fighting and we thought we were going to win."

After the opening victory, Hays High didn't win a set the rest of the day. The Indians lost to Class 4A power Abilene 25-16, 25-16 and lost 25-14, 25-18 to Salina South, a 5A squad that the Indians could face in their sub-state.

Salina South also featured 6-foot middle blocker Taylor Goodness, a returning Class 5A all-state honorable mention pick by the Kansas Volleyball Coaches Association.

"When she cranks on the ball, it comes down hard and fast, I think we just let ourselves get a little bit intimidated," Schmitz said.

Hays High dropped to 11-8 overall and finished its home schedule at 4-2.

"This was kind of a setback tonight, but it is good to have these setbacks in the middle of the season," Schmitz said. "Towards the end of the season, we are just going to try to learn from our mistakes."

In the first match, the Indians improved to 2-1 against WAC teams. Earlier this fall, Hays High defeated Garden City and lost to Dodge City. The Indians split the first two sets with the Red Demons before a close third set that yielded four time outs.

"We came out really strong against Dodge," Schmitz said.

Helped by two Linn aces and a pair of Dodge City errors, Hays High took an 8-2 lead. Dodge City battled back to tie it at 21.

An ace by senior libero Emily Younger and a block from junior outside hitter Ashli Dryden and Linn helped the Indians win the final set. Dryden finished with 13 kills, while sophomore Lindsey Schmeidler chipped in with seven.

HHS finished with 16 aces, including four apiece by junior Amanda Groff and Younger, and three from junior Carissa Wickham.

"Any time we can get a win against a WAC school, it is always going to be good, especially since we have a WAC tournament coming up (Oct. 18)," Schmitz said.

Past that, the Indians had trouble with Abilene and Salina South, two teams with winning records. Against Abilene, a perennial power in Class 4A, the Indians led just twice in the first game. The Cowgirls effectively hit around the Indians' block with multiple tips and dump kills.

"Honestly, I think Abilene was going to come out and be a lot more aggressive at the net with the reputation of some of their hitters," Schmitz said. "They started tipping a lot at us and we just weren't able to just start covering those as well as I what I would like to do."

In the second set, Hays High took a 6-0 lead before Abilene tied the match at 8 off four Cowgirl kills. The Indians eventually closed within 15-14 before Abilene won five straight points.

"That is something that we are going to have to read a little bit better, whether the attacker is going to come up and swing on the ball, or she is going to come up and tip on the ball," Schmitz said. "A lot of it has to do with looking at their approach and looking at their arm swing."

Against Salina South, Goodness established herself early as the best player on the court. Linn said the team had faced just one hitter all season, from Sublette, who could hit like Goodness.

"Nobody else comes close," Linn said. "She is so intimidating. It is so hard. We tried to put up a big block."

Goodness delivered eight kills, including several smashes down the middle and off the Indians' block. Goodness helped Salina South go on a 9-1 run in the first set and a 6-0 surge in the second.

"She is so intimidating," Linn said. "She just winds up."

Offensively, Dryden collected 10 of her quad-high 28 kills versus Salina South. Past Dryden, the Indians had just four kills versus Salina South, another work in progress for the Indians.

"Coach (Sarah) Schinstock was trying to emphasize that (Thursday)," Schmitz said. "They would at times have a 6-(footer) on the inside of the block and a 5-foot-8 on the outside of the block.

"That is when we need to be able to turn our hips and go down that line and go over the top of that smaller blocker. That just comes with game experience, because we don't really have a chance to see that in practice," Schmitz added.