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Junior Titans send strong message |
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JACOB ROBINSON, TIMES-REFORMER
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The Holy Trinity Titans junior boys volleyball team came into the NSSAA semi finals yesterday looking to send a message. As a third seed, the Titans took on number two Delhi -- who had a record that matched top ranked SCS at 8-2.
If there were ever a time to show just how far their team had come, it was on the playoff stage at SCS against a Raiders team that was among the most dangerous in the league.
The Titans came out motivated, and had DDSS on their heels in the first set, winning 25-21. They followed that up with a second straight win 25-18.
As expected, the Raiders came out with guns blazing in set number 3. The Titans though, managed to match their opponent's intensity and registered a come from behind 25-23 win, booking a spot in the league finals.
"I think we were really ready for it and focused because we wanted that badly, we knew we shouldn't have been a third place team - we should've been up there," said Titans captain Braden Roberts. "We had a couple bad breaks at the beginning of the season and didn't play so well.
"We were getting our serves in, good sets and making smart plays."
DDSS came into the contest winners of the final two regular season contests, and a 3-1 early season win over Holy Trinity. The Titans scored a 3-0 win on Oct. 29, and duplicated the feat when it mattered most.
"Some of it was nerves, and they got a lot better during the season," said Raiders captain Drew Murray. "The first time we played them, we won but they got a lot better. We both played really good games."
With a 5-1 lead in the third set, Delhi looked as though they would climb to within a set, but the pesky Titans hung around, and weren't about to give the Raiders something to build on.
"(That was) really big," said Roberts. "We couldn't let them get into our heads when they were screaming and everything. We tried to keep focused and keep on task."
Murray said the Titans made the necessary adjustments to tie it up at 21, eventually taking their first lead of the set and winning it just a few rallies later.
"I think we could've made it to five with all the momentum," he said.
"They figured us out and were blocking us a lot, and their coverage is really good."
"We can hit a lot more than we do, it's just, we get nervous when we go up to hit, so we just push it instead."
In the following game SCS beat Port Dover 3-0 to set up a Titans vs. Sabres showdown in the finals on Wednesday. Roberts said the key for the Titans wouldn't be focusing on whom they're facing, but how they can keep improving.
"(We need to) stay focused," he said. "We've got a practice tomorrow so there's a couple things we've got to work on." |
