Trojan Spikers Roll Past LaVille
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
The LaVille Lancers and Triton Trojans have more in common than alliterative names. Both teams are young, with LaVille's Elizabeth Messana being the only upperclassman between the two rosters.
The young Trojans used their advantage in the middle and strong attacking to capitalize on Laville's mistakes and win 25-22, 25-19, 25-12.
Triton was sporadic in the first game but successful enough with its first serve and solid defensive middle to hold off a late charge by the Lancers to win 25-22. LaVille drew to as close as 23-22 before falling.
The first game's momentum nearly swung when the Trojans were called for being in the net after LaVille was unable to return a serve. What could have been a shift of confidence in the game instead showed Triton's resolve to hang tough and hold off LaVille.
In the second game, the Trojans fell behind 3-0 before running off nine straight points. LaVille went on a seven-point run of its own before Triton answered back with an eight-point outburst.
Those sort of offensive explosions can buoy a team's confidence, but combined with giving up such runs can take that confidence away.
Triton was able to outplay LaVille and limit the damage done by the Lancers' runs. When freshman Stephanie Stichter served an ace, it gave the Trojans a 25-19 win.
Controlling the opponent's ability to go on big runs comes with experience, according to Triton head coach Gayle Perry.
"We've worked all week on finishing. We want to step over the edge. We're young, we're giving up big spreads but we're getting big spreads. We need to cut the spreads we give up in half," said Perry
Confidence will also be a critical factor in the success of the Triton program.
"Leadership and momentum, and at times being young, is why we struggle at times. They're almost more critical of themselves than I am of them. That one mistake or two takes our confidence away for too long," said Perry.
In the third game, Perry's hope to cut down on opponents' runs came to fruition. Triton put together two five-point runs while LaVille's longest run was held to two points. The play of the night came when in the decisive third game, Triton's Brittany Cook ran down a ball, extended and bumped a perfect shot to Stichter for a tip that found its way between LaVille defenders, giving the Trojans a 13-7 lead.
Triton put things into overdrive from there and left LaVille in the rearview mirror en route to a 25-12 final game.
The third game gave Perry and her players a taste of something they haven't had too much experience with, holding onto a lead.
"It think we're growing up. In the third game we got the lead and now we're learning to play with the lead. As soon as we can cut the other teams' runs in half, we're going to be able to beat the real solid teams and that's one of our goals," said Perry.
As a whole, Perry was pleased with her team's effort.
"I thought our middles, our freshmen played well tonight. They had 15 kills between the two of them so I think that helped out a lot. (Argos) seemed to have a lot of trouble playing defense out of our middle attack," said Perry.
Cook added eight kills to the aforementioned 15 by freshmen Brooke Blackford and Stichter.
Dawn Ganshorn led the Trojans in assists with 25. Bethany Clemens had 11 digs to lead Triton.
The Trojans, 5-12 overall and 2-2 in the NSC, host Argos at 6 p.m. Thursday. There will be no junior varsity match.
TRITON DEF. LAVILLE 25-22, 25-19, 25-12
(Triton leaders)
Kills - Brooke Blackford 10, Brittany Cook 8
Assists - Dawn Ganshorn 25
Aces - Cook 2, Blackford 2, Stephanie Stichter 2
Digs - Bethany Cook 11, Cook 7
Blocks - Blackford 2
JV - LaVille def. Triton 25-19, 27-25
(Triton leaders)
Kills - Kassie Soriano 4, Jessica Mangun 3, Megan Dean 3, Tamra Schmucker 3
Assists - Jessica Ganshorn 13
Aces - Ganshorn 2, Brooke Shafer 2
Blocks - Schmucker 2, Dean 1 [[In-content Ad]]
The LaVille Lancers and Triton Trojans have more in common than alliterative names. Both teams are young, with LaVille's Elizabeth Messana being the only upperclassman between the two rosters.
The young Trojans used their advantage in the middle and strong attacking to capitalize on Laville's mistakes and win 25-22, 25-19, 25-12.
Triton was sporadic in the first game but successful enough with its first serve and solid defensive middle to hold off a late charge by the Lancers to win 25-22. LaVille drew to as close as 23-22 before falling.
The first game's momentum nearly swung when the Trojans were called for being in the net after LaVille was unable to return a serve. What could have been a shift of confidence in the game instead showed Triton's resolve to hang tough and hold off LaVille.
In the second game, the Trojans fell behind 3-0 before running off nine straight points. LaVille went on a seven-point run of its own before Triton answered back with an eight-point outburst.
Those sort of offensive explosions can buoy a team's confidence, but combined with giving up such runs can take that confidence away.
Triton was able to outplay LaVille and limit the damage done by the Lancers' runs. When freshman Stephanie Stichter served an ace, it gave the Trojans a 25-19 win.
Controlling the opponent's ability to go on big runs comes with experience, according to Triton head coach Gayle Perry.
"We've worked all week on finishing. We want to step over the edge. We're young, we're giving up big spreads but we're getting big spreads. We need to cut the spreads we give up in half," said Perry
Confidence will also be a critical factor in the success of the Triton program.
"Leadership and momentum, and at times being young, is why we struggle at times. They're almost more critical of themselves than I am of them. That one mistake or two takes our confidence away for too long," said Perry.
In the third game, Perry's hope to cut down on opponents' runs came to fruition. Triton put together two five-point runs while LaVille's longest run was held to two points. The play of the night came when in the decisive third game, Triton's Brittany Cook ran down a ball, extended and bumped a perfect shot to Stichter for a tip that found its way between LaVille defenders, giving the Trojans a 13-7 lead.
Triton put things into overdrive from there and left LaVille in the rearview mirror en route to a 25-12 final game.
The third game gave Perry and her players a taste of something they haven't had too much experience with, holding onto a lead.
"It think we're growing up. In the third game we got the lead and now we're learning to play with the lead. As soon as we can cut the other teams' runs in half, we're going to be able to beat the real solid teams and that's one of our goals," said Perry.
As a whole, Perry was pleased with her team's effort.
"I thought our middles, our freshmen played well tonight. They had 15 kills between the two of them so I think that helped out a lot. (Argos) seemed to have a lot of trouble playing defense out of our middle attack," said Perry.
Cook added eight kills to the aforementioned 15 by freshmen Brooke Blackford and Stichter.
Dawn Ganshorn led the Trojans in assists with 25. Bethany Clemens had 11 digs to lead Triton.
The Trojans, 5-12 overall and 2-2 in the NSC, host Argos at 6 p.m. Thursday. There will be no junior varsity match.
TRITON DEF. LAVILLE 25-22, 25-19, 25-12
(Triton leaders)
Kills - Brooke Blackford 10, Brittany Cook 8
Assists - Dawn Ganshorn 25
Aces - Cook 2, Blackford 2, Stephanie Stichter 2
Digs - Bethany Cook 11, Cook 7
Blocks - Blackford 2
JV - LaVille def. Triton 25-19, 27-25
(Triton leaders)
Kills - Kassie Soriano 4, Jessica Mangun 3, Megan Dean 3, Tamra Schmucker 3
Assists - Jessica Ganshorn 13
Aces - Ganshorn 2, Brooke Shafer 2
Blocks - Schmucker 2, Dean 1 [[In-content Ad]]