BELMONT — Senior Jordyn Kamps floored a match-high 21 kills and her sensational junior sidekick Keegan Kamps added 16 kills, 15 digs and four blocks as Belmont took sole possession of first place in the Six Rivers West with a 3–1 (25–16, 25–19, 20–25, 25–22) victory over fellow SRW-front runner Potosi last Tuesday night.
     “This was a huge win for us,” said Belmont head coach Lauren Runde. “The girls came out fired up and ready to play. We were scrappy and never gave up on any ball. We really left it all on the court that night. It was a great team effort.”
After three early lead changes in the opening set, Belmont took control with a 14–5 scoring run.
     Belmont upped the lead to 16–8, then Potosi rallied behind two kills by senior middle hitter Liz Reuter and two aces by senior setter Flesch to cut deficit to 16–13.
      It remained tight until Belmont closed on a 6–1 run. Keegan Kamps had two spike kills and a tip kill and junior Jannie deHaan had two kills, while fellow junior Katelyn Schobert closed set with an ace for a 25–16 win.
     The second set was tight early in the set with four lead changes, but a five-point service run by senior Audrey Wedig turned Belmont’s 12–10 lead into a 17–10 cushion. Jordyn closed match with a spike kills to seal a 25-19 decision.
     There were six lead changes and 12 ties in the third set before Potosi took the lead for good at 21–19 on back-to-back blocks by Reuter. An ace by junior Taylor Kennedy and another block kill and a spike kill by Reuter sealed a 25–20 win that cut deficit to two games to one.
     Riding the momentum, the Chieftains held a lead for much of the fourth set, but never got more than four points ahead of the Braves (14-10).
     Belmont fought back to take a 16–14 lead on a five-point service run by junior Brianna Riechers. Her ace tied it at 14 all, while a block and a spike by Keegan Kamps gave the Braves the lead.
     The lead changed hands four more times down the stretch. After a kill by Kennedy gave Potosi its last lead of the night at 21–20, Jordyn Kamps hammered a pair of kills to put Belmont up 22–21.
     With Belmont leading 23–22 and Potosi serving, Jordyn Kamps got a sideout with a blistering kill, and then smashed another kill moments later to give the Braves the set, the match and sole possession of first-place in the SRW.
     Belmont (14–5–1) improved  to 9–1 in the Six Rivers West while Potosi (14–11) fell to 8–2 in conference play.
     Unfortunately for Belmont, the Braves gave away their one-game lead two nights later and fell back into a first-place tie in the loss column with Potosi after a 3–2 loss at River Ridge Thursday night.
     The Braves won the first two sets and appeared on the verge of clinching at least a share of the conference crown, but the host Timberwolves (6–5 SRW) rallied for a 20–25, 10–25, 25–20, 25–18, 15–8 upset victory.
     Belmont (9–2 SRW) still had the chance to clinch a share of the SRW crown with a victory over Shullsburg this past Tuesday.
     Potosi needed a victory at Benton (Tuesday) and a win over Highland Thursday night to earn a piece of the title.
Both teams open the WIAA Division 4 playoffs Tuesday night with home matches. Second-seeded Belmont hosts 15-seed Kickapoo, while third-seeded Potosi hosts 14-seed Cassville.

Belmont 3, Potosi 1
(from Tuesday, Oct. 8 @ Belmont)
Potosi           16    19    25    22
Belmont        25    25    20    25
Belmont stat leaders
Kills: Jordyn Kamps 21, Keegan Kamps 16. Blocks: K. Kamps 4, Jannie DeHaan 1. Assists: Katelyn Schobert 50. Aces: Brianna Riechers 5, Schobert 2. Digs: K. Kamps 15, Schobert 10.
Potosi stat leaders
Kills: Liz Reuter 8, Paige Brinkman 7, Taylor Kennedy 7. Blocks: Reuter 5, Haley Flesch 2. Assists: Flesch 20. Aces: Taryn Stappert 4, Flesch 3. Digs: Stappert 16, Maddie Hawes 9, Brinkman 9

River Ridge 3, Belmont 2
(from Thursday, Oct. 10 @ Patch Grove)
Belmont         25    25    20    18     8
River Ridge    20    10    25    25    15
Belmont stat leaders
Kills: Jordyn Kamps 29, Keegan Kamps 9. Blocks: K. Kamps 4, Brianna Riechers 3. Assists: Katelyn Schobert 41. Aces: Audrey Wedig 3, Riechers 2. Digs: K. Kamps 25, Maddie Rand 19.

North Crawford Invitational
(from Saturday, Oct. 12 @ Gays Mills)
Championship: North Crawford def. Prairie du Chien 2–0. Third-place: Dodgeville def. Wonewoc–Center 2–1. Semifinals: North Crawford def. Wonewoc–Center 2–0; Prairie du Chien def. Dodgeville 2–1.
Pool A: Dodgeville 3–0, North Crawford 2–1, Belmont 1–2, Royall 0–3. Pool B: Wonewoc–Center 3–0, Prairie du Chien 2–1, Black Hawk 1–2, Viroqua 0–3.
Belmont pool play match scores
Belmont def. Royall 25–19, 27–25
Dodgeville def. Belmont 25–18, 18–25, 15–11
North Crawford def. Belmont 27–25, 25–14
Belmont stat leaders
Kills: Jordyn Kamps 33, Keegan Kamps 15. Blocks: Brianna Riechers 3, Keegan Kamps 2. Assists: Katelyn Schobert 41. Aces: J. Kamps 5, K. Kamps 3, Riechers 3. Digs: Schobert 14, Emma Lee 12.