Win/lose for JV and Sr. Girls Dragons against JTF Raiders

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2012 JV and SR Girls Dragons
Shianne Neumann photo

(Back row) Coach Holoboff, Josie Naumczyk, Kellis Potts, Jayden Kennedy, Tamara Parkin, Laura Welsch, Carlee Fitzpatrick, Coach Tyler Speelman   (Middle) Emily Milligan, Sydney Oulette, Sarah Wittkopf, Angela Svab, Hannah Evans, Whitney Holoboff, Amelia Woodard   (Front) Justine Jorgensen, Catherine Decock, Elise Wocknitz

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

The Saint Michael's JV and Senior volleyball squads hosted their Nanton J.T. Foster counterparts at the Dale Wentz Memorial Gymnasium on Wednesday evening, October 3.

JV Dragons repel the Raiders in three straight sets

C. Davis photo

The Junior Varsity squads competed first.  The Dragons got off to a quick start, dominating the scoreboard throughout the first set.  The JV JTF Raiders played admirably, but were not able to quell the Dragon attack, and the set finished with the Dragons ahead 25-15. The Raiders got it together more in the second set and the Dragons had to play a little harder to come out ahead 25-20.  By the end of the second set the Raiders were narrowing the lead, and that momentum continued for them into the third and final set.  This time the Raiders set the pace at the outset, ahead for much of it with the Dragons struggling, until the mighty Amelia Woodard began a run of 10 serves that brought the Dragons from behind to ahead by 20-16.  The Dragons managed to hang on to that lead until the end, winning 25-21 and taking all three sets of the evening.  After some consultation, we're calling this our game of the day.  It was fast-paced, fun to watch, and both teams put in a very solid effort.

JV Dragons
C. Davis photo

Intermission

The St. Michael's Dragon kept the crowd going during the intermission between the JV and Senior games.

Raiders triumph over Sr. Dragons

C. Davis photo

The Senior Girls Dragons had a rougher time of it against their Raiders counterparts.  The first set saw the Raiders take an early lead, whereupon the Dragons bounced back, with a tip of the hat to Kelli Potts, who was really on top of her game throughout the evening, both when serving and when returning.  The Raiders pulled ahead again, and created a comfortable lead for themselves, which even a late-set rally by the Dragons couldn't quell.  The Raiders took it 25-17.

Service with a style:
Amelia WoodardC. Davis photo

In the second set, the Dragons seemed determined to take it back, and Dragons #9 Laura Welsch put in a significant effort toward that cause.  This time out the Dragons dominated, taking it 25-9.  In the third set, the Dragons continued their momentum, at first, ahead 8-3 at one point.  Josie Naumczyk and Elise Wocknitz were particularly outstanding for the Dragons.  The Raiders pulled ahead by a 5 to 6 point margin, with the set ending in a great rally that concluded with a 25-20 win for the Raiders.

In the fourth set, Amelia Woodard served things up right for the Dragons, and the home team was ahead 4-0. It was anybody's game after that, until the Raiders pulled ahead again.  With the score sitting at 19-13, Woodard again proved the good luck charm for the Dragons.  With Potts whomping the ball with deadly accuracy when needed, and some great defensive play by the Dragons' squad, the score climbed to 24-19 before Woodard was done.  The set ended with the Dragons ahead 25-20, and the teams were tied with two sets apiece.

The fifth and final tie-breaking set was a joy too watch, with both teams playing flat-out, on top of their games, with great rallies on almost every serve and a close score until about midway through.  The Raiders had the edge though, taking the set 15-10, for 3 sets of 5, taking that long road home to Nanton with a hard-won win to their credit.