PIERRE - Nothing succeeds like success, and the Pierre Lady Governors girls volleyball team is well-stocked with that commodity.

"All around the team has stepped up and decided that there is nothing better than winning," Lady Govs coach Kacy Kienholz said.

Stepped up indeed. The Lady Govs are 14-0, 16-0 if you count the final two games of last year's Class AA state volleyball tournament in Watertown.

Pierre shrugged off a first-round loss to down Rapid City Stevens and Watertown to earn the tourney's consolation championship in only the Lady Gov's second "AA" appearance.

Keeping the run going has been a matter of familiarity, according to Kienholz. All but two of the Lady Govs are juniors and seniors.

"They have been playing together for about four years, both in school season and club and camps," Kienholz said. "They really know each other and what each other's strengths and weaknesses are, and can recognize and compensate for those."

Pierre's offense is led by senior Polly Gill and junior Stephanie Paluch.

Gill, a 5-foot-7 middle hitter, leads with 134 kills. Paluch, a 5-foot-9 outside hitter, has 107. Senior Bethany Goeden has 56 kills and junior Jenna Lancaster has chipped in 51.

"If one person is having an okay night, we have at least two others that are able to take over for them. Then the rest of the hitters get their seven or eight kills per night, so those add up," Kienholz said.

Pierre has been pushed to five sets only three times this year, against Eastern South Dakota Conference foes Huron, Aberdeen Central and Brandon Valley.

"In our close matches, we weren't very mentally prepared for their defense," Kienholz said. "We allowed a lot of things to hit the floor that in the past couple of weeks haven't been hitting the floor, so our defense is also improving."

Paluch (22) and Gill (16) also lead the team in service aces.

"Polly Gill and Stephanie Paluch have been huge assets for us this season staying in double digit kills and also doing a very good job behind the serving line."

Sophomore setter Amanda Stout and libero Gina Geffre lead the defense

Kienholz calls sophomore Amanda Stout "a very aggressive setter who isn't afraid to get the offense moving."

"She is getting better at recognizing where the blockers are and keeping the set away from them," she said "(Geffre) has gotten more aggressive and is able to read the hitters to pick up double-digit digs every match."

Junior Sam Flynn was instrumental in weekend wins over Rapid City Stevens, Rapid City Central and Brookings.

"She is a very instinctive player that can recognize when to hit and when to find the holes to get a kill. She also played great defense at the net with her blocking and hitting coverage." Kienholz said.

Rematches loom with ESD teams, which played Pierre close earlier this season.

On Friday night, the Lady Govs host Brandon Valley. Road games at Watertown (Oct 13), Huron (Oct. 16) and Yankton (Oct. 20) follow, with the regular season wrapping up at home against Aberdeen Central on Oct. 25.