OTTUMWA — The odds aren’t on their side, but the Ottumwa Bulldog volleyball team is in it to win it.

Shoot for the stars – that’s what first-year Ottumwa head coach Jessica Carson will attempt to do at second-ranked Iowa City West Thursday.

In order to get to Johnson County to take on one of the state bests in the Women of Troy, Carson’s bunch needed to get past rival Oskaloosa at home on Monday.

Bulldog fans can cross that one off their to-do lists.

Ottumwa (24-11) took down Oskaloosa (11-24) in four games in the opening round of Class 4A postseason volleyball action — 25-21, 20-25, 25-23 and 25-14.

This was the third meeting between Oskaloosa and Ottumwa this season, the Bulldogs having won each contest. Osky defeated Ottumwa last season in five games in Mahaska County in the exact same postseason scenario.

Ottumwa gets the “luxury” of trying to corral West on its home floor in the next round. West (33-1) is led by Jessica Gehrke, an all-state performer that will attend Florida International.

Osky head coach Sarah DeRonde glowed about what the Women of Troy can do out on a volleyball court.

“West is the best team that I’ve seen in the state. I believe Ankeny and West will go head-to-head for the state title,” said DeRonde.

After Osky’s 2008 quarterfinal win versus Ottumwa, Osky moved on to play West and was swept. West moved on to the state semifinals.

As has been the case over the years, the Indians and Bulldogs were pitted against each other again.

“It seems like we play every year,” said DeRonde.

DeRonde advanced Oskaloosa to its 11 state tournament appearance in 2006 over Ottumwa in five games. Ottumwa disposed of Oskaloosa the past two previous seasons before that.

Carson, who earned her first postseason victory after two tries with Eagle Grove, dismissed the notion that Monday’s quarterfinal contest against West is insurmountable in obtaining victory.

“Anybody can be beaten on any given day,” said Carson. “It’s a matter of playing our game with confidence.”