THE THRILL OF VICTORY...AND THE AGONY OF DEFEAT -- Eagle girls celebrate after their victory (above). International players at the end of play (right). Jonatan Muñoz, International
SHOCKEROO!
Last-place Eagles soar, beat Griffins
There was something Biblical about it, the last place team defeating the first-place team, as the Christian Learning girls volleyball team, clearly high on something, defeated International in three sets.
The Eagles took the first set 25-20, then the Griffins rebounded to take the second 25-21.
Then in the climactic final set, after International had its way back to trail by only a single point at 13-12, the entire Christian Learning cheering section stood as one a screamed for victory.
And they got it, 15-13, as a rattled Griffin squad mishandled the ball on the final two points.
Pandemonium ensued, replete with overturned water containers, and joyously hysterical players. It was the first time a Griffin volleyball team had lost a semifinal game at least since 2006.
The game was different from many of the other contests in the League this year in that many points, even though they came at the end of long, exciting rallies, were decided by unforced errors.
The game was a return, to some degree, to the "wars of attrition" that marked League play in earlier years, when one team would wear down the other. In this case, Christian Learning wore down International.
International had been 5-1 during the regular season; Christian Learning 1-5.
Christian Learning Coach Alejandra Salto said that eleventh grader Kaylyn Lampen has become the team's most effective player, and praised the play of Danielle Doi, who covered a lot of ground while chasing balls hit deep. Salto also noted that the team had benefited from the return to form of Alejandra Valencia, who had been sidelined for much of the season with an injury.
International Coach Eli Vilar said, "The Eagles girls really put up an outstanding game. It is true that their emotional strength was higher than ours. Our players had better technical work, but [at the crucial moments] we chickened out. This is a lesson of life that my girls have learned, and I'm sure they would love to have a second chance, but often in sports you get only one game to win or lose."
The line-up for the victorious Eagles was Doi, Leah Moss, Natalia Eguez, Lampen, Ruth Nyquist, Jerusha Hanish, Hannah Moss, Mariela Salinas, Gaby Tang, Laura Lindahl, and Valencia.
For the Griffins: Melisa Roca, Laura Adriazola, Fabiana Murillo, Maria Gutierrez, Ines Fernandez, Stephania Gioto, Diana Melgar, Maria Paola Acosta, Arianne Nostas, Soraya Dajbura.
Co-operative, Cambridge take wild ride!
Jaguars come from way back, win 2-1
We've had roller coaster games before this season, but the Cooperative girls varsity volleyball team's victory over Cambridge in this semi-final had to qualify as a roller coaster with a loop-the-loop.
The Knights virtually blew the doors off the Jaguars in the opening set, putting the wood to them 25-9. Then Cambridge ran up an 8-1 lead to start the second set.
At the time-out called at that point Cooperative coach Misty Skidmore, in her own word, "blew a blood vessel," screaming imprecations at her battered team.
"At the end of it some of the girls were crying, some were pouting. I said I need six players who are ready to go out there and play." Eight of the dozen players raised their hands and Skidmore picked six, thereby benching a number of her regular starters.
The Jaguars rallied, and took the second set 25-18. Skidmore kept the same six on the floor for the third set, and they prevailed again, 15-7 as Cambridge became the team rattled by its own mistakes.
The other tactical change Skidmore made was to tell her players to forget their overhand serves, and "just get the ball over the net." In the early going the Jaguars had been plagued by bad serves.
In the end, Skidmore was particularly pleased with the effective serving of Aldana Roca. Ninth grader Ana Paola Peredo "really came into her own," in this game, Skidmore said, and junior Karla Flores was all over the floor covering balls.
More details to come.
Last-place Eagles soar, beat Griffins
There was something Biblical about it, the last place team defeating the first-place team, as the Christian Learning girls volleyball team, clearly high on something, defeated International in three sets.
The Eagles took the first set 25-20, then the Griffins rebounded to take the second 25-21.
Then in the climactic final set, after International had its way back to trail by only a single point at 13-12, the entire Christian Learning cheering section stood as one a screamed for victory.
And they got it, 15-13, as a rattled Griffin squad mishandled the ball on the final two points.
Pandemonium ensued, replete with overturned water containers, and joyously hysterical players. It was the first time a Griffin volleyball team had lost a semifinal game at least since 2006.
The game was different from many of the other contests in the League this year in that many points, even though they came at the end of long, exciting rallies, were decided by unforced errors.
The game was a return, to some degree, to the "wars of attrition" that marked League play in earlier years, when one team would wear down the other. In this case, Christian Learning wore down International.
International had been 5-1 during the regular season; Christian Learning 1-5.
Christian Learning Coach Alejandra Salto said that eleventh grader Kaylyn Lampen has become the team's most effective player, and praised the play of Danielle Doi, who covered a lot of ground while chasing balls hit deep. Salto also noted that the team had benefited from the return to form of Alejandra Valencia, who had been sidelined for much of the season with an injury.
International Coach Eli Vilar said, "The Eagles girls really put up an outstanding game. It is true that their emotional strength was higher than ours. Our players had better technical work, but [at the crucial moments] we chickened out. This is a lesson of life that my girls have learned, and I'm sure they would love to have a second chance, but often in sports you get only one game to win or lose."
The line-up for the victorious Eagles was Doi, Leah Moss, Natalia Eguez, Lampen, Ruth Nyquist, Jerusha Hanish, Hannah Moss, Mariela Salinas, Gaby Tang, Laura Lindahl, and Valencia.
For the Griffins: Melisa Roca, Laura Adriazola, Fabiana Murillo, Maria Gutierrez, Ines Fernandez, Stephania Gioto, Diana Melgar, Maria Paola Acosta, Arianne Nostas, Soraya Dajbura.
Co-operative, Cambridge take wild ride!
Jaguars come from way back, win 2-1
We've had roller coaster games before this season, but the Cooperative girls varsity volleyball team's victory over Cambridge in this semi-final had to qualify as a roller coaster with a loop-the-loop.
The Knights virtually blew the doors off the Jaguars in the opening set, putting the wood to them 25-9. Then Cambridge ran up an 8-1 lead to start the second set.
At the time-out called at that point Cooperative coach Misty Skidmore, in her own word, "blew a blood vessel," screaming imprecations at her battered team.
"At the end of it some of the girls were crying, some were pouting. I said I need six players who are ready to go out there and play." Eight of the dozen players raised their hands and Skidmore picked six, thereby benching a number of her regular starters.
The Jaguars rallied, and took the second set 25-18. Skidmore kept the same six on the floor for the third set, and they prevailed again, 15-7 as Cambridge became the team rattled by its own mistakes.
The other tactical change Skidmore made was to tell her players to forget their overhand serves, and "just get the ball over the net." In the early going the Jaguars had been plagued by bad serves.
In the end, Skidmore was particularly pleased with the effective serving of Aldana Roca. Ninth grader Ana Paola Peredo "really came into her own," in this game, Skidmore said, and junior Karla Flores was all over the floor covering balls.
More details to come.
