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Corvallis Gazette Times: High School Sports
CV volleyball sweeps CHS
By Raju WoodwardGazette-Times Reporter
Motivated by a five-game loss to Corvallis on their homecourt back on Sept. 23, the Crescent Valley high volleyball team returned the favor on Thursday night by sweeping CHS in a Mid-Willamette Conference match at Spartan Gym.
Just how determined were the Raiders (12-4, 10-2)? After getting off to quick starts and finishing strong in the first two games, they battled back from seven-point deficits twice in the third game to earn the win.
Game scores were 25-19, 25-17 and 25-22.
“Most times when we have fallen behind this year, we have stayed to our gameplan and executed and come back and persevered,” CV coach Corey Barton said. “We’ve had a lot comebacks and we did tonight.
“It makes me proud as a coach to know that my team has enough confidence to not let things get them down.”
After CHS (5-7) went up 11-4 in the third game, the Raiders came alive. A pair of kills followed by two aces by Sammi Brandstetter pulled them to within three, 11-8.
The teams went back and forth before the Spartans went on a 5-0 run to take a 19-12 lead.
But once again, CV pulled together and came right back with four straight kills to make it a 19-16 game, three of them coming from Janelle Batista.
After a service error extended the Spartans’ lead 20-16, the Raiders went on a run of their own and finally took a 21-20 lead on Kacie Melton’s ace.
A senior setter, Melton has come up big for CV in recent games and Thursday was no exception.
“It was awesome,” Melton said. “I never thought I would get to come in and serve to get us back into the game.”
Added Barton: “She works so hard in practices and she goes in and played a critical role for us. We saw that against West Albany, we couldn’t defeat them without her doing what she did, and once again tonight, she did it again.”
An out by the Raiders tied the game at 21, but CV went up two on a Batista kill and a CHS error. The Spartans got a kill to make the score 23-22, but that was the closest they would get. Ali Cook had a kill that was followed by a CHS error, giving the Raiders the win.
Batista finished with 15 kills to lead Raiders, with seven of them coming in the first game. Cassie Daneke added eight blocks, while Brandstetter and Hanna Lorenz had six digs apiece for CV. Lorenz also finished with 29 assists.
It was a disappointing finish for the Spartans, who kept battling despite trailing big in the first two games.
In game one, they battled back from a 21-11 deficit and able to pull within four at one point. In the second game, CHS fell behind by nine before making a comeback.
“They definitely didn’t give up,” CHS coach Amy Wright. “I think they got better each game. CV did a good job, though.”
Mallory Hummer had four kills to lead the Spartans, while libero Tamiko Perry had a strong all-around match with 22 digs and eight aces. Perry was the catalyst for CHS during their comeback bids.
Crescent Valley hosts Woodburn and Silverton next week, with the later match deciding the MWC title.
“Every match for us right now is critical for a league championship, which we are going after very seriously,” Barton said.
CHS is at South Albany and hosts Woodburn to finish the MWC season. The Spartans are still in the hunt for a playoff berth.
