Ken Roberts
For The New Era
After a three-match losing streak, Sweet Home disposed of North Marion in three games on Thursday, Oct. 20, to regain a tie for third place with Cascade, whom they lost to 3-1 the previous Tuesday.
Sweet Home 3, North Marion 0
For a short while, it looked as if the Huskies might continue their recent woes as they fell behind early 15-8. Then Hannah Swanson stepped up to the service line and drilled North with deep serves, three for service winners. In Swanson?s run of seven points, Chelsea Gagner had a kill and Sara Brocard added a tough defensive play at the net on an overset ball.
Ashlee Flanagan finished a couple of short sets from Julie Burcham down the stretch while North contributed to their own downfall with mistakes, allowing Sweet Home to pull away 25-19.
In game two, the Huskies left no doubt that they would control the match. Cait Thireault had a couple of kills to aid a quick start. Later in the game, with consistent back row passing and a strong attack led by Jessalyn Seiber and Flanagan, Sweet Home coasted to a 25-18 win.
The Huskies dug a quick hole for themselves in the final game as North led 6-1 following their first service rotation. However, Swanson once again served Sweet Home back into a tie with Breanne Messmer and Thireault putting up a strong blocking wall.
Then, during the service rotation of Messmer and Michelle Cliver, the Huskies gradually pulled away. The win was a relief to Burcham, whose setting improved as the game went on.
?We needed this win to regain our confidence,? stated Burcham, who hopes the win stirs up the Huskies for their season-ending run. ?We have the skills to beat the stronger teams. It?s just a matter of whether we believe we can do it.?
Coach Debbie Danielson was able to adjust lineups during the last two games.
?We played a lot of our kids who don?t see a lot of playing time and they did a good job,? she said. ?They need that confidence so that they are ready when we need them in a crunch situation against a tough team.?
Cascade 3, Sweet Home 1
In a key match for possession of third place in the league on Oct. 18, Sweet Home had difficulty getting into the match. The Huskies started strong in the first game, leading 6-3, but made numerous unforced errors throughout the rest of the game, finally succumbing 25-16.
Their problems continued in the second game. Other than an opening kill by Jessalyn Seiber, the Huskies never earned another point on their service. Cascade returned everything Sweet Home had to offer until the Huskies made a mistake, a formula that was successful in leading the Cougars to a 25-11 victory.
In game three, the Huskies came alive. In back-to-back service rotations with Chelsea Gagner and Breanne Messmer, Sweet Home established a six point lead. Hannah Swanson led the barrage with two kills and a great save. Cascade made a late run, but two more kills by Swanson and some tough blocks earned the Huskies a 25-19 win.
The next game was a tester, going back and forth, until the score was 19 apiece. Early on, Julie Burcham continuously set the game?s hot hitter, Ashlee Flanagan, who had five kills during that stretch. Burcham added a couple of dump shots for winners herself.
Sweet Home fell victim to a questionable line call that put the momentum back to Cascade. The Huskies hit the last two balls into the net to fall 25-20.
It was a tough loss for the Huskies, who had hoped to sweep Cascade after beating them at home earlier in three games. But the Cougars got back their top hitter and their younger tall players had improved.
?It was disappointing,? stated Hannah Swanson. ?We were able to play at our level some of the time but not throughout the entire match.?
Looking ahead
Sweet Home?s regular season ends this week with a home game against Molalla on Tuesday and the Huskies? finale versus an undefeated Stayton team on the Eagles? court. How they fare in those games will determine the Huskies? fate in the league playoffs and for the third league spot in the state playoffs.
?Molalla is an entirely different team than either Stayton or Cascade, so we will have to prepare differently for them,? said Danielson. ?Right now, we will focus on Molalla and then we will worry about Stayton and Cascade.?
If Sweet Home and Cascade remain tied, there will be two more games against the Cougars. One will take place on the following Tuesday at a neutral site, probably Stayton, to determine who is in third place. The second and deciding game for the playoff berth will be played on the winner?s home floor.
Capital Conference
Volleyball Standings
Wins Losses
Stayton 8 0
Sisters 7 1
Sweet Home 4 4
Cascade 4 4
Molalla 1 7
No.Marion 0 8
Last Week?s Scores
Stayton (H) def. Cascade
Stayton (H) def. Molalla
Sisters (H) 3, N.Marion 0
Sisters 3, Molalla(H) 0