VOLLEYBALL: Highland sweeps Lancaster in start of GL play
Sept. 19, 2014
ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press
PALMDALE - It was only extra points in the first set of the first game of Golden League play, but the atmosphere was that of a final-day-of-league, winner-takes-it-all moment on Thursday at Highland High.
The energetic crowd was on its feet and roared after every point from the exhilarated Bulldogs, only to have rebellious Lancaster come back to send the game into more extras time and time again.
The only one far from thrilled was Highland coach Tina Diaz. Her feelings were a lot closer to exasperation.
"That was ridiculous," Diaz said.
The Bulldogs (2-2, 1-0 GL) had to fight off not only the pesky Eagles (2-2, 0-1), but also their own mistakes more than once before finishing with flair in a 29-27, 27-25, 25-11 sweep.
The star of the night, one which could have dragged out and even ended up in bigger displeasure for Diaz thanks to an avalanche of Highland attack and service errors, was junior outside hitter Katelyn Evans, who had 19 kills. Many of them came in clutch situations.
With Highland owning set point for a third time in the first frame, Evans came through to finally drive down the winning kill in the very corner of the Eagles' side to give the Bulldogs an early advantage.
"It felt good, because the game should have been over," Evans said. "It was like a 'that's it' kind of shot."
She repeated the deed in the second frame. Up 26-25, Evans recorded her 11th kill of the night to put an end to another struggle of a set for the Bulldogs.
Albeit up 2-0, Highland went into the third having committed a combined 15 attack errors and five serving errors. The free points threatened to cost the Bulldogs throughout the night.
Fed up with the idea of having to endure yet another mistake-filled frame, Diaz decided to threaten her players back.
"I told them, 'You want to keep playing like this? We're going to have a conditioning-only practice tomorrow,'" Diaz said.
The warning worked wonders. Highland led from wire to wire in the third, with Evans recording eight kills.
"That worked really well," Evans said. "Nobody likes running."
For Highland, Hailey Davidson had seven kills and Paula Hicks added five. Alexxiss Diaz recorded 16 assists while Meigan Flanagan had 26 digs. Ashlynn Bakeman added 15 digs and Hannah Douglas had four kills and 18 assists.
The Bulldogs next play at home against Palmdale on Tuesday while the Eagles play host to Antelope Valley on the same day.
For Lancaster, which was led by Cassie Hein's seven kills, it was a missed opportunity, but one it was content with having earned.
"I don't feel like we gave up," Eagles coach Teri Watts said. "Being six people on the court sometimes is hot and cold. We're still jelling as a team."
The Eagles, who also got six kills from Morgan Plaisance and 10 digs and 12 assists from Shelby Anderson, saw themselves down 15-9 in the first frame only to go on a 10-3 run to change the complexion of the game.
Lancaster had a chance to grab the frame and the momentum when it led 25-24, but the Bulldogs responded, tied the game and eventually won it.
"That was fun," Watts said of the first set.
Not so much for Diaz, who needed to challenge her team with a bit of an ultimatum to get it to react.
"I understand it's very early in the season," Diaz said. "But I can't let my team not play up to its potential. I can't allow that as a coach."
It worked. Good coaching.
ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press
PALMDALE - It was only extra points in the first set of the first game of Golden League play, but the atmosphere was that of a final-day-of-league, winner-takes-it-all moment on Thursday at Highland High.
The energetic crowd was on its feet and roared after every point from the exhilarated Bulldogs, only to have rebellious Lancaster come back to send the game into more extras time and time again.
The only one far from thrilled was Highland coach Tina Diaz. Her feelings were a lot closer to exasperation.
"That was ridiculous," Diaz said.
The Bulldogs (2-2, 1-0 GL) had to fight off not only the pesky Eagles (2-2, 0-1), but also their own mistakes more than once before finishing with flair in a 29-27, 27-25, 25-11 sweep.
The star of the night, one which could have dragged out and even ended up in bigger displeasure for Diaz thanks to an avalanche of Highland attack and service errors, was junior outside hitter Katelyn Evans, who had 19 kills. Many of them came in clutch situations.
With Highland owning set point for a third time in the first frame, Evans came through to finally drive down the winning kill in the very corner of the Eagles' side to give the Bulldogs an early advantage.
"It felt good, because the game should have been over," Evans said. "It was like a 'that's it' kind of shot."
She repeated the deed in the second frame. Up 26-25, Evans recorded her 11th kill of the night to put an end to another struggle of a set for the Bulldogs.
Albeit up 2-0, Highland went into the third having committed a combined 15 attack errors and five serving errors. The free points threatened to cost the Bulldogs throughout the night.
Fed up with the idea of having to endure yet another mistake-filled frame, Diaz decided to threaten her players back.
"I told them, 'You want to keep playing like this? We're going to have a conditioning-only practice tomorrow,'" Diaz said.
The warning worked wonders. Highland led from wire to wire in the third, with Evans recording eight kills.
"That worked really well," Evans said. "Nobody likes running."
For Highland, Hailey Davidson had seven kills and Paula Hicks added five. Alexxiss Diaz recorded 16 assists while Meigan Flanagan had 26 digs. Ashlynn Bakeman added 15 digs and Hannah Douglas had four kills and 18 assists.
The Bulldogs next play at home against Palmdale on Tuesday while the Eagles play host to Antelope Valley on the same day.
For Lancaster, which was led by Cassie Hein's seven kills, it was a missed opportunity, but one it was content with having earned.
"I don't feel like we gave up," Eagles coach Teri Watts said. "Being six people on the court sometimes is hot and cold. We're still jelling as a team."
The Eagles, who also got six kills from Morgan Plaisance and 10 digs and 12 assists from Shelby Anderson, saw themselves down 15-9 in the first frame only to go on a 10-3 run to change the complexion of the game.
Lancaster had a chance to grab the frame and the momentum when it led 25-24, but the Bulldogs responded, tied the game and eventually won it.
"That was fun," Watts said of the first set.
Not so much for Diaz, who needed to challenge her team with a bit of an ultimatum to get it to react.
"I understand it's very early in the season," Diaz said. "But I can't let my team not play up to its potential. I can't allow that as a coach."
It worked. Good coaching.