The Shelbyville Ram 8th grade volleyball team came out aggressive and battled Newton in game 1 of the Casey 8-3A Sectional on Monday. They had a late run and took game 1, then broke Newton's back in game 2 and won going away, 25-21, 25-6.

"The girls played well again and never let up," said Ram 8th coach Brittany Pierce. "I am very proud of them for the intensity and fire they've been playing with. Lindsey Eigsti really poured it on Newton from the service line in the very beginning of game 2 and we never looked back from there. All of the girls contributed in a p[ositive way. Now we have just a few days to prepare for Saturday. I am very excited and know the girls are as well."

Although this group of Shelbyville girls beat Newton in the sectional for the second year in a row, winning last year 25-17, 25-19, The Eagles were more determined in game 1.

Game 1 was a back and forth battle, where Shelby would get a few points up then Newton would catch up. Shelby had the final run for the 25-21 win and that seemed to rock Newton some. They came out ready to play game 2, but withered quick.

Morgan Lawrence dug the first ball of game 2 and Briana Ruff quick-tipped for a point. Lindsey Eigsti served an ace and then she smelled blood. She not only served aggressively, she hit hard and she broke Newton's back with a 14 point run, including seven aces. Newton never got anything going, losing by 21 points.

The match started with Ram middle hitter Brandy Smith swinging for the kill. Kayla Brachbill just missed an ace in the corner, 1-1. Eigsti had a quick-tip, but the official called it a lift, a questionable call. Smith came right back with a hard kill shot to tie the game at 2-2.

Julia Bolinger came in to serve and delivered an ace. A kill that carried just long tied the match again, 3-3. A net battle ensued and Morgan Lawrence and Morgan Voyles combined on the stuff, 4-3. A missed tip tied it again, 4-4. A service error, followed by a Lawrence kill gave the Rams a 6-4 lead. But, Newton caught up.

Newton got a tip for a point, then the Rams let a ball drop and the Rams were called in the net. Newton was up 7-6, but Kayla Brachbill got a kill to knot the score again, 7-7. The Rams got another lead and held it this time.

Brandy Smith blasted away and nailed the back line for the 8-7 lead.

Morgan Lawrence then served an ace. Gina Sandshafer blocked for a point, but after a long rally, Smith swung for another kill, 10-8. Eigsti went to the line and served her first ace of the match, 11-8. Smith 2-handed a ball deep to Newton and the dig went up to the rafters and to the floor, 12-8.

A Ram kill shot just missed, but Smith came right back with a free ball slam. Sandra Williams served and Smith powered a kill right into a Eagle block for the point. Williams then delivered another Ram ace, leading 15-9 and bringing a Newton time-out.

That same official called a questionable lift call on Eigsti again on a quick-tip. Two Rams collided on the next ball, 15-11. Morgan Voyles got the side-out aftera couple of good Ram digs hitting for the kill. A service error gave the ball back to Newton and they started chipping away again.

Newton got a block and then an ace. The Eagles set up for a double block, but Morgan Lawrence saw it and tipped to the side of it for the point, 17-14. A cross-court kill and an ace brought Newton within a point, but, once again, Lawrence hit a kill to the corner, 18-16.

The Rams had a save hit the tape and fall on their side, then the Eagles hit to the middle for the tie, 18-18. The Rams dug deep then went on a 7-3 run for the win. Briana Ruff and Eigsti tipped for the serve, then Lawrence went to the line and served a ricochet ace. Lawrence then served an ace off the net. She served a short ace for her third ace in a row, giving the Rams a 22-18 lead and forcing another Newton time-out.

The Rams had two digs, but then the ball fell. After another rally Smith reloaded and hit a short kill to a hole in the Newton middle, giving Eigsti the serve up 23-19. Kayla Brachbill swung for a cross-court kill bringin game point. Eigsti came within an eyelash of acing for the game.

Newton had to get on a run to keep the game alive. They served and the Rams had one dig, two digs, but couldn't clear the net. Up 24-21, Smith ended yet another rally, this time with a lofting kill shot to the corner for game-point.

Game 2 was nothing like game 1, as Eigsti went to work pummeling Newton from the service line.

After the first point from Ruff's tip, Eigsti served an ace. Her next serve ate up the Eagle receiver and after a bad pass the ball never came back. Newton had a chance at a kill near the offical but blew it.

Newton was down 4-0, but they were nowhere near getting control. Eigsti served a sizzling ace. Then served another aggressive shot for an ace. After six hard serves, she took something off the next one ane delivered a short ace, giving the Rams a 7-0 start and precipitating a Newton time-out to no avail.

The time-out didn't throw Eigsti off. It only gave a her a pause to reload. Her next serve saw the receive go into the net. She hit a deep ball that ricocheted for another ace. The next Newton ball had two bad passes off the serve and went into the net. Newton had a chance at an outside swing, but it went out again to the refs side.

Up 11-0, Eigsti served another ace. Two more bad passes off a receive doomed the dig attempt. Newtom had to call time again, down 13-0. They still couldn't shake Eigsti's concentration. They came back on the floor and Eigsti served another ace, her 7th in 14 points serving.

Newton finall was able to make a transition and score on a deep kill. But, Brandy Smith came right back with a kill of her own. Alexis Halbrook came into serve and Newton delivered a free ball and Smith put it away. Halbrook served again and scored a lift ace on the back line.

Down 17-1, Newton finally got a side-out and Emilee Johnson served an Eagle ace. Smith hammered another kill that ricocheted off her latest victim, giving dangerous serving specialist Julia Bolinger the ball. Her first offering was a short ace.

A missed Ram kill brought Gabby Zerrusen to the line for Newton. A bad Ram set doomed the tip attempt. Smith had a good dig, but just missed, givin Newton a thin ray of hope, down 19-6. But, like she had all match, Lawrence at the net, killing to the corner.

Amanda Sprague had come in to play some mid-court defense and it was her turn to serve. She went to the line and served out the match.

Sprague's first serve was an ace. Newton was over the net on the next point, and, after a Lawrence swing, it took them four hits to clear the net. Hitter Monica Griesemer came in to play the net and got a ball set for the outside kill, bringing match point.

Sprague served, Newton returned, the Rams worked their transition and Lawrence swung. The shot pinballed around the Newton side and couldn't clear until it was hit four times, giving the Rams the sectional crown and a berth at State.

With the win, the Rams punched their ticket for a return to the 8-3A State Tournament in Riverton. The Rams (17-10) will play Saturday at 11:15 a.m. against Downs Tri-Valley (10-11) in the quarterfinals. Last year, the Rams (14-5) made it to State, but lost in the first round.

Downs Tri-Valley may be the most dangerous Cinderella team to make the state tournament in awhile. Their losing record not withstanding, they are on a streak. Tri-Valley was 8-11 to start their regional as a 3rd seed. They won the semifinal and were fortunate in the regional title game to play a Lincoln team (4th seed) that had won an upset to get there.

Downs won a close match in a #3-#4 regional title bout, 28-26, 25-23. Not impressive, but, infused with hope and possibility, Downs knocked off a team in sectional that the Rams had trouble with this year, Warrensburg, Tri-Valley beat Warrensburg in straight games, 25-21, 25-21. Warrensburg beat the Rams in Shelbyville on a Saturday morning earlier this year with little resistance, 25-14, 25-15. Warrensburg may have made the mistake of looking past Tri-Valley on Monday night. The Rams can't make that same mistake or they will go home from State 1-and-done again this year.

Casey-8-3A Sectional

Shelbyville Moulton def. Newton Jasper County, 25-21, 25-6

Ram stats: Lindsey Eigsti 19 points, 8 aces, 13 assists, 1 kill, 2 digs; Brandy Smith 9 kills, 6 digs; Morgan Lawrence 7 points, 3 aces, 4 kills, 1 block, 6 digs; Amanda Sprague 6 points, 1 ace, 1 dig; Julia Bolinger 5 points, 2 aces; Morgan Voyles 3 points, 1 kill, 2 digs; Briana Ruff 2 points, 1 assist, 1 kill, 4 digs; Sandra Williams 3 points, 1 ace, 1 dig; Alexis Halbrook 3 points; Kayla Brachbill 1 point; Monica Griesemer 1 kill; Mykennah Allen 1 dig; Jensen Cloe 1 dig.

*Watch for web updates and the Thursday Daily Union print edition for the complete story, stats, and more photos.