Boyle (17-10) never trailed in the first game, jumping out to an early six-point lead. The Rebels then came back from an early deficit in the second game to score 20 of the final 30 points to complete the sweep.
"They didn't have the intensity form the get-go I thought they would, being the last district game. Lincoln worked hard tonight, and they just kept fighting," Boyle coach Cate Guthrie said. "But we did come ready to play. They know we could have played better. But they put it to them, and I'm proud of them. I'm really, really proud of them."
Guthrie may not have liked her team's intensity from the outset, but Boyle still put the first game away early. Lindsey Emerson served the Rebels to a 9-3 lead, and Lincoln (7-17-3) never got closer than six points the rest of the game.
"I think we just had some communication problems early on in the game," Lincoln coach Amanda Massey said. "We weren't engaged enough, and it took us too long to get into it. Hopefully we'll be able to work out those bugs."
Catie Meyer's kill put Boyle ahead 15-8. Meyer later had two aces and Megan Kendrick had one of her five kills as the Rebels went up 19-9. Kelsey Coffey's kill made it 24-10 and Lincoln hit a shot in the net to give Boyle the first game.
Lincoln surges in second game
Lincoln actually took a 4-1 lead to start the second game, which was what Massey wanted to see her team do.
"I feel like we had our feet under us in the second one, much better than the first," she said. "And that's something I hope we can work on as a team because that seemed to be a problem in past games, and it was a problem tonight."
Boyle came back to tie the score at 6-all and took the lead for good at 7-6 on a shot which barely stayed in. From there, Emerson had an ace during a 4-1 run, and Lincoln never got closer than four points.
Up 13-8, Kylee Talbot had four aces and Kendrick added a kill as the Rebels went up 20-8. Kendrick's final kill of the night - she finished with five to go with four digs and a block - made it 24-15. She then served Boyle's final points to close out the match.
Staub had 14 assists, Meyer had six digs, Emily Donlon had four digs and Emerson had two aces, three kills and three digs for the Rebels.
Boyle is playing as well as it has all season right now. And the Rebels could be getting one of their main weapons back in time for the postseason as well.
Sophomore Kaley Jackson sprained her wrist against Clay County, and has missed the past three matches. Guthrie hopes to have her back by the 43rd District tournament, but she's been pleased with how her team has played in the sophomore's absence.
"There's something special about this group of girls. They take a challenge and just roll with it," Guthrie said. "They are just so flexible. It's fun to see that. They definitely don't get scared."
Staub said missing Jackson may actually help the team in the postseason.
"We've had to get used to not having one of our key players," she said. "But we've been able to pull together and play together. And once we get her back, we'll be stronger."
