This
may be the year a Shore Conference team finally takes down Southern�??s
volleyball team, but as Wednesday�??s second game comeback against Toms
River North showed, it will not be easy.
By �?? Scott Clayton �?? Senior Staff Writer
DOVER
TOWNSHIP �?? Sitting one point from a decisive third game, Toms River
North seemed poised to announce that the Southern volleyball team was
no longer just assumed to be the Shore�??s best because they�??ve been
around the longest.
On
Wednesday afternoon, however, poise more accurately described the Rams
(7-1, 6-0) who rallied from a 20-24 hole in the second game in front of
a vocal Mariners�?? student section to take the match in straight games
25-19, 28-26.
�??I said during the time out, �??Girls, how many times have we been here before?�??�?� Southern coach Eric Maxwell said.
The
answer was: plenty, but rarely against anyone from Ocean or Monmouth
County. The third-year program at North is just one of the local teams,
along with Colts Neck, Rumson-Fair Haven and Toms River East, that are
angling to deliver the Rams their first Shore Conference loss.
After
playing an Olympic Conference schedule in the past, the Rams are now
rooted solely in the Shore, where it upped its record to 48-0 all-time.
Southern dropped one game to Long Branch four years ago, but staved off
match point, according to coach Eric Maxwell.
�??Now
most of these teams have had three years together and want to knock us
off,�?� Maxwell said. �??That�??s a huge motivator for this team, especially
now that teams are getting closer.�?�
Maxwell
had the right person at the service line when his team mounted its
comeback. Senior setter Carly Kurica has the most varsity experience of
any of the Rams and along with Angela Dolan, was crucial in keeping
points alive as the Rams reeled off five straight late in the second
game.
Even
Kurica knew it would be a matter of time until the classic see-saw
battles Southern has had over the years with Cherry Hill East and
Cherokee would become a regular occurrence within the Shore Conference.
That doesn�??t mean she is anticipating a defeat anytime soon.
�??It
means that obviously we have to work harder because the teams around us
are getting better,�?� said Kurica, who finished with 16 digs and 14
assists. �??It makes us better to play in matches like this. I�??ve been in
this situation the last three years. I feel confident enough that I can
serve it in those situations. I�??d feel confident in anyone on our team
in that spot.�?�
In
the recent past, Southern boasted outside hitters such as Kubra
Tanrikulu, Janelle Murdock and Felicia Marmo. Without those offensive
weapons, the Rams have fashioned themselves into a more defensive
squad, which was apparent in their comeback against the Mariners, whose
errors opened the door, after the Rams continue to send back North�??s
best efforts.
�??I
don�??t know that it was nerves,�?� Mariners coach Pete Bogdan said. �??We
just had a problem putting our passes close to the net so that we could
get good sets. We were defending well and I thought we were starting to
put the ball down well today.�?�
�??We
have an amazing defensive team,�?� Kurica said. �??We rely a lot more on
the team. You�??ll hear us say �??Play smart,�?? whereas in the past we�??ve
maybe had girls that can just put the ball down and bail us out. We
have a more cross-court, angled kind of approach.�?�
Kurica
was the one constant as the hub of the Southern offense, but her
surrounding cast changed throughout the match. Middle blocker Ashley
Gesicki and outside hitter Meagan Taege shared the team lead with seven
kills apiece and Kristen Hamilton and Erin Regan also shined at times
on the outside.
Junior
Kasey Ficken was arguably the Rams most effective server, and helped
put the first game out of the Mariners�?? reach with a run of seven
straight service points, including four straight that never made it
back over the net.
�??It
probably is a little bit of a deeper team than we�??ve had, a little more
specialized with our middle blockers and our outside hitters,�?� Maxwell
said. �??We have girls that we just bring in to serve. When you see games
this close it could be any one play that makes the difference, so
you�??ve got to be prepared.�?�
Wednesday
also showed that the Rams must be prepared to face some hostile
environs around the Shore, at least until that first loss occurs.
�??We�??ve
definitely seen more crowds this year,�?� Kurica said. �??It makes us
better, it pumps us up more. We like these really good games.
�??The
crowds have been better all season, but this is the best we�??ve had,�?�
Bogdan said. �??The students have seen that we have a good team, and
they�??ve come out to support the girls. We knew this year would be the
chance to challenge Southern. The girls are already looking forward to
the next time we play them (Oct. 16 at Southern).�?�
The Rams next significant Shore Conference test will come on Oct. 6, when they play host to Rumson-Fair Haven.
|