After a slow start, the Riverland Community College volleyball team showed some strong signs of life in a 25-10, 23-25, 25-17, 25-22 loss to Ridgewater in Riverland Gym Saturday.

The Blue Devils (1-5 overall, 0-1 MCAC) had a chance to win the fourth game as they tied it up at 21 after a kill by Tiffany Kasper and a serve that Ridgewater couldn’t handle by Abbie Curry, who served four straight points to tie the game. But RCC had a missed serve and dropped ball slow them down as Ridgewater clinched the match.

“We made some mental mistakes and I don’t really feel like Ridgewater beat us, I didn’t think they were unbeatable,” RCC head coach Helen Jahr said. “We had some serve receive errors and coverage issues. Those are errors that young players make.”

After scoring just 10 points in the opening game, the Blue Devils stormed to a 19-13 lead in the second game. After Ridgewater, which was the Division III National Runner-Ups last season, scored four straight to pull within 24-23, Curry, a freshman from St. James, slammed down the deciding point.

“I am pleased,” Jahr said. “I think it’s early for us yet and I think you’ll see a different team in two weeks. We’re getting better every day.”

Krissy Schemmel, a sophomore setter from Mankato West, made her season debut for the Blue Devils after suffering a knee injury right before the season. She had 17 assists.

“I’m glad Krissy’s back and I think she did a nice job,” Jahr said. “But she’s not one hundred percent and you can see balls that she would’ve normally had that she had to let go. It was something we sacrificed today but she’ll get better.”

Kate Krogh had 21 digs, 10 kills, an ace, and a block for the Blue Devils, Kelsey Brink had seven kills and a block, Mercedes Miklya had 20 digs and one ace, Katie Williams had an ace, and Curry and Danyel Hythecker each had a block.

Stephanie Tillman, an All-American Middle Hitter for Ridgewater had two block kills and two aces in the first game. She also had the decding kill to end game five.