Lady Warriors Sweep Crusaders
Hoopa Warrior Namechi Frank (left) got under the ball, while teammate Rhea McCoy (right) got into position at the net, during the game against the St. Bernard Crusaders on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012. / Photo by Kristan Korns, Two Rivers Tribune.
By KRISTAN KORNS, Two Rivers Tribune
Both Hoopa volleyball teams scored victories against the St. Bernard’s Crusaders, who fought back hard almost every step of the way, on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012.
The JV team, which is now 3-2 in league play, started their match strong and won their first set 25-15.
The second set was fought neck-and-neck the entire time.
Rhea McCoy said, “I was a little worried because it was getting really close.”
The score stayed within one or two points until a surge at the very end carried Hoopa to a 25-22 victory, winning the match.
Setter Namechi Frank said, “They won last time, but this time we took them on our own turf and we beat them.”
The Varsity team also dominated their first set, taking the score to 6-0 before St. Bernard had a chance to serve.
Junior Jurnie Wilder worked the net, spiking ball after ball after set-ups from Sophomore Claudia Patino.
Coach Vickie Kurtz said, “One of the surprises today was Tristan Morton. She was injured for about three weeks, and she came back stronger than before.”
The Warriors won the first set 25-17, and the Crusaders started to up their game for the second set.
Setter Harlee Grant took over for Claudio Patino, and Senior Ruby Bibancos worked hard in the back row stopping high-velocity serves from St. Bernard. Hoopa won the second set 25-21.
The Warriors lost steam during the third set, and started to fall behind in points.
Wilder said, “When the other team makes a couple kills and we make mistakes and get down on ourselves, it takes a couple plays to get back up.”
But by the time the Warriors started to rally, it was too late. The Crusaders won the third set 25-13, and the crowd started to worry.
“We better get the win,” said Kelly Jarnaghan, whose daughter is on the team.
The Warriors came back for the fourth set with new determination, taking the score to 6-0 before letting the Crusaders get a chance to serve. Hoopa took the ball back shortly after that, and drove the score to 13-3 while their hometown crowd cheered.
The scoreboard read 20-10, and Hoopa seemed moments away from victory, when the Crusaders found some new determination of their own.
St. Bernard took the ball back from Hoopa, and drove the score first to a tie, and then moved a point ahead at 21-20 before serving into the net.
Then Hoopa served into the net, and St. Bernard took back the ball with the score tied at 21-21.
Neither team was ready to lose, and the level of play on both sides seemed to rise to new heights.
The score would tie, one team would get a point ahead, and then the score would tie again.
Sophomore Stella Jarnaghan was the last to serve, with the score at 24-24. St. Bernard tried to return, but Wilder spiked the ball for the point.
Jarnaghan served again, and Wilder spiked it again, and the crowd cheered as Hoopa won the set 26-24.
“I was afraid that I was going to hit it out,” Wilder said.
Kurtz said, “Stella’s serves were game changers for us. They took us all the way.”
JV Hoopa def. St. Bernard 25-15, 25-22.
Varsity Hoopa def. St. Bernard 25-17, 25-21, 13-25, 26-24