October 14, 2010
Memorial bounces back
Memorial middle blocker Niovys Martinez had six kills yesterday against McNair.
Click Here for more photos from Memorial at McNair.
By Jason Bernstein
Editorial Director
JERSEY CITY – For Memorial, yesterday’s 25-16, 25-10 win was all about trust and resiliency.
Just one day removed from an emotional three-set loss to rival Bayonne, the Tigers overcame an early deficit to sweep McNair and end the Cougars’ 15-game winning streak.
“We’re a team,” senior middle block Caolanny Melo said. “We’re together. The only way you’re going to win is by trusting each other. You’ve got to share beyond the court.”
“The fact that we all trust each other is such a great thing,” added senior setter Madelyn Leon. “It lacked in previous years, but this year we’re all friends, we all trust each other and that really helps us on the court.
“What happened (against Bayonne) happened. You can’t do anything about it, but you can move forward from there.”
Any lingering effects from Tuesday’s defeat had to be quickly put in the past. Right from the opening serve, Memorial (9-5) seemed to be digging itself an early hole. The Tigers would drop the first three points and after four consecutive faults, were down 9-5.
“I thought it was going to be one of those days where we can’t do anything right,” Memorial head coach John Wengerter said. “They settled themselves down a little bit and they were able to get their act together then. They’ve played games where we’ve come back, and that’s what I was expecting.”
“It was difficult, but we’re a strong team and volleyball’s a mental sport,” Leon said. “We shrugged it off.”
Shrugged it off might have been an understatement as Memorial responded with a 12-1 run to take control. Outside hitter Shanyen Rodriguez put the Tigers in front with a kill to make it 16-15 and Isis Gonzalez added a quartet of kills to put the opening set out of reach.
“Something just happened there and we lost our focus and couldn’t get our game going from there,” Cougars assistant coach Alex Taunean said.
Memorial would make a similar surge in the second set. Tied at 6-all, the Tigers would win 12 of the next 13 points. Memorial’s deep collection of hitters proved too much for McNair (16-2) to handle, led by Rodriguez’s four kills in an 8-0 run to make it 18-7.
“We started working together with our passes and hitting,” Melo said. “Everyone was contributing and when the whole team comes together we perform better.”
Melo finished with 11 digs, nine service points, three aces and a trio of kills in a big all-around performance. Niovys Martinez and Rodriguez had six kills apiece with Rodriguez also adding three digs. Leon had 15 assists and four digs. Gonzalez chipped in with five aces and three kills.
Tiffani Causing and Marian Lladas led McNair with 12 and 11 digs apiece for a McNair team which was without tri-captain Kendra Avinger. Natalia Estramera added nine digs of her own and Melissa Camacho had a team-best three kills. Jenna Szymanski chipped in with five digs in defeat.
Tiffani Causing had a team-best 12 digs for McNair.
1st |
2nd
|
|
| Memorial Tigers (9-5) | 25 |
25 |
| McNair Cougars (16-2) | 16 |
10
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