By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
SALEM, Ore.– The fourth set brought out the best out of both the Sprague and South Salem Volleyball team.
The Saxons led the set early on, leading even at 16-14 midway through the set before the Olympians continued their consistent chipping away of their rival in their second league meeting of the season. Eventually, Sprague tied it at 16.
South Salem pulled ahead 23-21, only to see the Olys tie it again at 23 moments later. For these two Top 10 teams, it’s was a good test going into this weekend’s Nike Tournament of Champions in Arizona. The mental focus that was required, as these two squads remained tied at 24, then at 25 and 26, had to be spot on as they looked to close out the set. Sprague to win the match in four, South, to force the match to five already down two sets to one at this point in the match.
“That fourth set was honestly a lot of grit for us. We needed to preserve and having to execute in those big moments. Just doing those little things, those fundamentals, and sticking together,” said the Saxons Leah Ioane.
“We’ve been focusing on trusting each other, and I think that really built in today and knowing that we’ll be there for that next ball,” adds Sprague’s Emma Brewer.
Sticking together was big in this game. Sprague dominated the first and third sets, winning both 25-14 in eventually their 25-14, 23-25, 25-14, 28-26 victory over their rival, taking the first two games of their three-game series with the Saxons six games into the CVC League schedule. South Salem, who has been the only team thus far to take a set from the Olympians, having done so twice this season with one in each of their meetings, rallied from 21-18 down to take the second set of the game.
“Tonight is going to help push us mentally, push us to play together as a team. I think for Arizona… just making sure we know what to recognize, we’re communicating, all those little things,” said Ioane.
Tied at 26 in the fourth set, a serving error by South Salem put Sprague in Game Point. The Olympians finished out the match on the next play to remain unbeaten on the year at 14-0 going into the Nike Tournament of Champions on Friday.
“It was a good warm-up going to face some nationally competitive teams in Arizona. It’s nice going to Arizona with the win for sure against a good team,” said Brewer. “Everything needs to step up to that next level to reach our goals that we’re trying to reach this season. We’ll work on everything and come back at a whole new level.”
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
