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Returning to state: Defending 2A champ White Oak survives New Diana
MICHAEL CAVAZOS
Returning to state
New Diana coach Nanette Sampson, on Saturday November 12, 2011,
during their game with White Oak in Longview's Lobo Coliseum.
(Michael Cavazos/News-Journal Photo)
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Posted: Sunday, November 13, 2011 4:00 am | Updated: 7:04 am, Sun
Nov 13, 2011.
By Jack Stallard
jstallard@news-journal.com |
Considering the fact district rivals White Oak and New Diana have
met on the volleyball court six times during the past two seasons —
including twice in the regional championship match — there are few
surprises left between the two teams.
Knowing what is coming and stopping it, however, are two different
things.
Abbey Bybel hammered home eight of her match-high 37 kills in the
fifth set on Saturday, and No. 2 ranked White Oak survived a scare
from No. 10 New Diana to earn a 25-23, 25-21, 24-26, 25-27, 15-6 win
in the Class 2A Region III championship match at Lobo Coliseum. The
win sends defending champion and District 19-2A winner White Oak
(42-3) back to the UIL State Tournament for the third year in a row
and the fourth time in five seasons.
New Diana, the runner-up in District 19-2A, ends its season with a
35-10 record.
It marked the second year in a row White Oak and New Diana have met
in the regional championship match. White Oak is 6-0 against the
Lady Eagles over the past two seasons, but White Oak junior Dorothy
Swanson said none of the matches in the burgeoning rivalry have been
easy.
“We knew we had to be ready,” said Swanson, who finished with 17
kills, 18 digs, nine service points and five blocks. “If I had lost
to them five times in the last two seasons, I know I would have
given everything I had to win and they did that tonight.”
The Ladynecks will return to San Marcos for the state tournament on
Thursday to open defense of the Class 2A title White Oak won in
2010. Pairings for the tournament will be released by the UIL today.
Ladyneck head coach Carolee Musick said Saturday’s hard-fought win
was partially a product of winning it all a year ago, but the
veteran head coach said she didn’t want to diminish what the 2010
team has accomplished.
“I think our senior leadership was the key,” Musick said. “Having
been there before ... I just can’t emphasize enough how important
that is. I remember being at the state tournament and making mistake
after mistake. After winning last year, that experience is just so
valuable in learning how to react under pressure. We didn’t react
great all the time, but we did compose ourselves in the end when we
had to pull it out. I don’t think anyone expected us, after losing
six of 10 players off last year’s roster, to do what we have done
this year. I’m proud of this team and what this team has
accomplished.”
Bybel, who signed a national letter-of-intent with SMU on Wednesday
and had 39 kills on Friday in a regional semifinal win over
Centerville, added 22 digs, nine service points, an ace and five
blocks on Saturday.
Brinklee Noll, who injured a thumb early in the contest, received a
quick tape job and didn’t miss a play, finished with 34 assists, 12
digs, 13 service points and a block. Desiree Vining had eight digs,
Kara Kienzle 19 digs and Morgan Baldwin seven digs, 18 assists and
four points.
Courtney Rogers had 19 kills and three blocks in the loss for New
Diana. Cheyenne Spell added 18 assists, three kills and 13 points,
Katie Hjorth six kills and six blocks, Erica Johnson seven kills,
Bracie Almeter six blocks, Mikayla Adkinson 12 kills and Madison
Sampson 19 assists and 12 service points.
GAME 1
White Oak never trailed in the opening set, but did receive a scare
when Noll dived to dig a ball out and came up with an injured thumb
for her troubles with the Ladynecks leading 21-11. She stayed in the
game, and later set Bybel up for the final point of the set on a
monster hammer to make it 25-23.
GAME 2
New Diana took its first lead of the match at 5-4 on a stuff by
Rogers, and also led 6-5 and 9-8 before Baldwin back-set Bybel for a
kill to make it 9-9. Back-to-back blocks by Rogers gave the Lady
Eagles a 19-18 lead, but the Ladynecks stormed back and won the set
on a kill by Swanson off a dish from Baldwin.
GAME 3
New Diana raced out to a 6-0 lead to open the set, and after White
Oak rallied and went in front Rogers took over at the net.
She had five kills in the set, including back-to-back hammers for a
24-23 Lady Eagle lead. Her cross-court kill off a set from Sampson
made it 25-24, and New Diana stayed alive to force a fourth set when
a Ladyneck was called for touching the net.
GAME 4
White Oak led 5-1 early, but New Diana stormed back to tie things at
seven, nine and 10. After the Ladynecks went in front 18-15,
Adkinson keyed a Lady Eagle run with back-to-back kills and a 19-18
New Diana lead. With the score knotted at 23-23,
White Oak got another scare when sophomore Ladyneck Madison Pecot
passed out while sitting on the bench. She later returned to the
floor with help to make a substitution, but New Diana outscored the
Ladynecks 4-2 the rest of the way to force a fifth-and-deciding set.
GAME 5
Bybel took control in the fifth set, killing the first four balls
she touched as the Ladynecks built a 5-0 cushion. New Diana managed
to get the deficit to 8-3, but Baldwin had back-to-back kills
followed by another Bybel smash for an 11-3 lead. Rogers’ 19th kill
of the match made it 14-6, but Bybel ended things when she took a
dish from Noll and dropped it with authority in front of a Lady
Eagle defender.
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