The Husky volleyball team upset Cascade on Monday last week in a 3-2 match at Cascade.
Before facing the Huskies, Cascade was undefeated in league play. The Huskies won 20-25, 13-25, 25-18, 25-17 and 15-10.
“That was a great win for us,” Coach Heide Nichol said. “Normally, our second game is our weaker game;” but in the first and even in the second game, “the girls played really well. The third game, they were even more determined to get that game.”
The Huskies caught a break when one of Cascade’s major hitters went out with a sprained ankle, Coach Nichol said; but except for some good passing, that player hadn’t been doing much to hurt the Huskies.
The Huskies “lit it up” in the third game, Coach Nichol said. “You have to give credit to them because the girls really played tough. Cascade, at that point, wasn’t mentally tough enough to handle one of their players going out.”
The Huskies served accurately that night. Teresa Lewis served 19-19 with six aces. Lei Himan served 12-14 with an ace, and Katie Reynolds served 20-20 with two aces.
Lewis added perfect setting, 46-46 with a 20-27 performance from Nicki Emmert.
“Teresa bettered the ball every time,” Coach Nichol said. “Every time she touched the ball, it was better than when she got it.”
That showed up in hitting stats, with Lisa Brocard hitting 27-34 with 15 kills and three blocks. Ashley Smith added 12-13 with five kills and three blocks. Ashley Horn hit 16-17 with six kills and four blocks.
Overall, the hitting effort was exceptional, Coach Nichol said. Susie Sieg had some great hits with three blocks. Elissa McCartin hit 7-10 with five blocks. Lewis hit 7-7 with four kills.
Everyone made contributions, Coach Nichol said. That goes back to passing, setting and defensive specialists trickling through to the hitters.
Stayton defeated the Huskies on Thursday night at home, 25-21, 25-20 and 25-9.
“They have great serving, and they just have our number when it comes to serving against us,” Coach Nichol said. The Huskies’ serve receive was low. Setters were off the net when they would get the ball making it difficult to make anything happen for the Huskies.
Stayton has good players, but its serving hit the Huskies the hardest, Coach Nichol said. At the same time, the Huskies’ serving was below the team’s goal of 90 percent.
Serving, Brocard was 13-14 with an ace. Emmert and Reynolds each served 7-8 with three aces.
Brocard and Smith hit 13-14 with six kills each. McCartin hit 7-8 with one kill and two blocks. Horn had six blocks.
“I think the girls, they just let down a little bit,” Coach Nichol said. “They’ll et it back together again.”
Stayton was second in the league behind Cascade last week.
The Huskies are fourth in league play with a 3-3 record behind Cascade, Stayton and Sisters.
The hosted North Marion last night. Results were unavailable at press time. They travel to Sisters on Thursday.
“One of my goals, and I think any coach’s coal with a young team like this is to pick up some big wins,” the ones people don’t expect, like Sisters or even Cascade again, Coach Nichol said. “We need to make wins to keep our league all mixed up on who should be top dog.”