Over the last 10 years, there have been many long bus rides from Owensville High School to Fatima High School in Westphalia before and after volleyball matches.

After the latest volleyball showdown between the Dutchgirls and Lady Comets in Osage County Thursday night, the bus ride back home was anything but long.

Doing something only two other Dutchgirl volleyball teams have done since 2006, Jamie Ridenhour’s varsity squad handed Fatima a rare loss on their home court in three sets 25-20, 12-25 and 25-20.

“This was a big win for our program,” Dutchgirl head volleyball coach Jamie Ridenhour said. “We beat a very good team on their home court.”

Senior Breanna Diestelkamp paced the Dutchgirl spikers with team-highs of 12 kills and six blocks.

Fellow senior Amber Nelms added eight kills and a team-high two aces late in the third-and-deciding set from Osage County.

Adding five blocks each alongside Diestelkamp were senior Haylee Grannemann and junior Marissa West-Derby.

Sophomore Emily McKinney led the Dutchgirls in the dig department with 20 against the Lady Comets. Nelms was also recorded double digits in digs with 16 followed by 10 each from Abby Finley and Celeste Brandt.

While the varsity Dutchgirl volleyball team made history with their first victory in Westphalia in 10 years, their junior varsity and freshman counterparts came up short in their matches.

Kicking what turned out to be a long night of volleyball off Thursday night, Courtney Castor’s freshman Dutchgirls fell to Fatima in two sets, 25-13 and 25-23.

Misti Rutledge’s JV Dutchgirls also pushed the Lady Comets to three sets before seeing the varsity squad pull off their win.

Dropping the first set 26-24 in JV action, Owensville took the second set 25-22 to force a necessary third set before falling in it 25-21.

Returning home Monday night after road matches in Bourbon and Westphalia last week, OHS’ varsity and JV Dutchgirls welcomed Montomgery County’s Lady Wildcats for a Highway 19 showdown at Owensville High School.

Junior varsity action went to the host Dutchgirls in straight sets by scores of 25-9 and 25-7.

Ridenhour’s varsity Dutchgirls nearly had to go three sets with the visiting Lady Wildcats to complete the sweep of their Highway 19 foe.

Pushed to the brink in both sets, Owensville held on to defeat a scrappy Montgomery County squad in straight sets, 26-24 and 25-23.

As if seeing Montgomery County once was enough, Ridenhour’s Dutchgirls will see them again next week during the 63rd Annual Hermann Invitational Volleyball Tournament.

Placed in Monday Pool A action, Owensville will compete against the aforementioned Lady Wildcats, Borgia’s Lady Knights and Union’s Lady Wildcats.

Pool matches will begin Monday, Sept. 24 in Hermann High School’s main gym at 4 p.m., with a rematch between Owensville and Montgomery County.

At approximately 5 p.m., Borgia and Union will compete in their first match of pool play at Hermann.

A Four Rivers Conference (FRC) showdown at 6 p.m., will ensue between the Dutchgirls and Union’s Lady Wildcats followed at 7 p.m., by Borgia and Montgomery County squaring off.

Cat scratch fever will be the theme song for the 8 p.m., Pool A match between Union and Montgomery County before Borgia and Owensville close out Monday pool action at approximately 9 p.m.

Making up Pool B action next Tuesday night at Hermann will be the host Lady Bearcats, Washington’s Lady Blue Jays, Pacific’s Lady Indians and New Haven’s Lady Shamrocks.