By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
SALEM, Ore.– The Taft Volleyball team have started the season off strongly.
They came inland to open the season on Thursday evening, defeating former PacWest Conference foes Santiam Christian and Salem Academy as they head back to Lincoln City 2-0 on the year.
But it almost went south for the Tigers right off the bat against the Eagles. Santiam Christian jumped out to a two sets to none lead on Taft and looked as if they were going to complete the regular season opening sweep.
That was. Until the Tigers came around.
Slowly. They won the third set. Then the fourth to force a decisive fifth set. In that fifth set, they jumped out to a 13-7 lead and rode that momentum swing to complete the reverse sweep, taking the match 14-25, 20-25, 25-21, 15-7.
After how last season ended, with Santiam Christian reverse sweeping the Tigers in the third-place League Playoff Game last Fall, it was a nice little revenge game for Taft.
“Santiam Christian, traditionally a great Volleyball team, I’m just really proud of my kids coming out and matching them and coming up with a reverse sweep to start the season,” said Head Coach Boone Marker.
The game could be a good precursor for the squad entering this Fall. Rejoining the 4A Classification for the first time since the 2013-2014 season and rejoining the Oregon West Conference, team’s like they’ve faced in 3A the last year or two with the Santiam Christian’s, Dayton’s and Salem Academy’s could correlate with the team’s they’re going to be facing in the OWC.
“I’m just really hoping that we’re prepared. I’m telling my girls that this is a really tough conference, we’re going to have to play against some giants,” Marker said. “As we’re getting into the season, it’s about getting better each week and I’m hoping that when it comes to those big time games that we can rise to that.
“I got a good group of girls this year. All the way, one through 12 and I’m just hoping that my girls can rise up and compete.”
Last year’s success was a long time coming. It was the result of their hard work in getting better. Their ten league wins was the most that they had in over 20 years and they came one set from making the postseason. And despite losing some big seniors from that squad, the Tigers return a solid core of athlete’s.
Katelyn Hatton is the Tigers returning setter, and the senior is transitioning from 6-2 offense to a 5-1 offense, Ari Hunter, Aida Lupo, Olivia-Kate Davis all return. Marker spoke highly of their development during the offseason with their Volleyball skills thanks to Club Volleyball.
Taft had a short break coming off of their Santiam Christian before they took on the Crusaders to close out their Salem-trip. And though it wasn’t a five-set thriller as their game with Santiam Christian was, the Tigers took the game 25-21. 25-16, 25-23 to end the day 2-0.
The Taft squad will be back in action Friday night when they host Catlin Gabel before coming back inland to take on another former PacWest Conference team in Dayton on September 1 in Dayton.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
