Friday, November 1, 2019

NM State Aggies vs CBU Lancers Volleyball 10-28-19 Part 1



The Aggies were about to play their third game in five days.  This was going to be another tough matchup with the Cal Baptist Lancers.  They’d already beaten them on their home court in four sets (10-7-19).   That was the match with 18 service errors, but the Aggies still won.  I was concerned about this game even though CBU had a losing record overall and in conference.  The Aggie girls had to have some fatigue from the last two games.

Ron was able to go tonight and he brought a guest.  Since the person he was caretaking for had finally passed, Ron’s schedule was much more open.  He was with one of the deceased’s relatives, Ginny.  They were all good friends along with her husband.  He was hoping going to this game would brighten up their moods.  It did, but really they were both already fairly loose.  It was like a burden had been lifted from them after the passing.  Ron was concerned about finding future employment, but was otherwise in good spirits.

Some of the inside of the Pan-Am Center had been done up for Halloween and the Basketball Trick-or-Treat event tomorrow.  I’d kind of wanted to go to see the Men’s team’s practice, but not enough to take a night off for it.  Game 6 of the World Series was also going to be Tuesday night.  There was a wall of construction paper gravestones posted in the concourse.  There were jokes written on them.  Some were for opposing teams who had lost here and the date when it happened.  Seattle U Redhawks: Entered a no-fly zone.  UTRGV: Too many letters, not enough points.  CSUB Roadrunners: Not fast enough.  UMKC: Good BBQ. 


Whoa!  It’s another entry in the attractive opposing assistant coaches segment.  CBU’s glamorous blonde assistant coach Michelle Wright was on the sidelines.  I’d noticed her before (11-10-18), but there would be no time for ogling tonight.  Action on the court would be too serious.  I was struck by their libero, Nicole Aberu, from Peru.  She was one of the taller girls on the team, as opposed to the usual shorter defensive players for the position.

For an odd Monday date, there was a good crowd.  It seemed like around 900.  Once again, there were a large number of young teen girls present.  They were with a youth volleyball league and were recognized later with an announcement.  The girls livened up the place and that would prove to be helpful.  During the player introductions, beautiful Megan Hart tossed her autographed mini-volleyball to be grandstand behind her.  The girl on the receiving end missed it and it rolled back on to the court.  Alertly, Savannah Davison broke from the line to retrieve it.  Brenda Hernandez on the reserves got it back to the girl.


Set 1
Natalie Mikels started the match well with an ace.  That was good to see after all those errors the last time these teams played.  3-1 CBU, the Lancers came back with their own ace.  5-2 CBU, Julianna Salanoa broke up their run with a kill.  5-3 CBU, Jules won a joust at the net for another point.  8-5 CBU, the Lancers long served to side out themselves and did it again at 9-6.  “High risk, high reward.”  9-7 CBU, Megan got her first kill and that got a rise out of the crowd.

10-7 CBU, Krysten Garrison net served.  11-8 CBU, Sav came up with a kill to break up the run.  11-9 CBU, an attacker whiffed on a bad set to give the Aggies back the ball.  11-10 CBU, Lia Mosher put in a hard kill.  11-11, the Lancers were called for a double touch.  12-11 CBU, Sav made an out-serve.  Both teams were playing tight.

13-11 CBU, Cat Kelly was blocked at the net.  The Lancers let out a big cheer.  Their reserves did a dance.  They’d do this on any big point they won.  13-12 CBU, Megan pounded one.  13-13, Jules brought the thunder too and the crowd roared.  14-14, Cat got her first kill as she powered one through the Lancer blockers.  15-14 CBU, the Lancers took the lead going into the media timeout.  Analyssa Acosta nearly dove into the grandstand trying to save the point.

The Aggies equalized it at 15 with a block by Ashley Anselmo and Jules.  16-15, the Aggies finally took the lead as Halle Razo hit the backline with an ace.  18-15 Aggies, Ash dotted the line going crosscourt as the Aggies were on a run.  Timeout Lancers.  That loudmouth fan guy was behind us.  I think he knew one of the Cheerleaders throwing out t-shirts and was calling for one. 

18-16 Aggies, CBU took this point.  Yikes!  Nat nearly went into the courtside tables trying to dig it.  19-17, CBU took this point.  Ash made dig off court during the point.  19-18, CBU kept up the comeback.  Annie made a dive save on the point.  For the second time in the set, Megan made a dig with her elbow at the net.  The Aggies were putting in the effort tonight.  CBU tied it at 19 on an out-swing by Sav.  Timeout by Aggies.  Judging by the music tonight over the PA, I think 80’s/90’s music night was canceled.  Too bad. 

20-19 Aggies, Meg got the lead back with a tip.  21-20, Megan got another kill.  There were two pancake digs on the point.  CBU got the lead back, 22-21, on an ace.  23-21 CBU, Meg had an out-swing.  Timeout Aggies.  23-22 CBU, Meg came back with a kill, but the Lancers would close it out on a tip, 25-23 CBU.


Set 2: Lancers 1, Aggies 0
The Aggies had dropped the first set at Cal Baptist in the team’s first meeting.  No panic yet.  The Aggies started Set 2 with a big kill by Ashley. CBU made a save off court on the point.  2-1 Aggies, Ash got another kill going crosscourt.  Brigette Lowe came in.  3-1, Megan had a solo block.  4-1, Meg and Brigette combined on a block.  CBU came back after some Aggie errors.  4-2, Krysten had an out-serve.  5-4, a net violation was called on the Aggies.  5-5, Meg shot wide.      

The Aggies came back.  6-5 Aggies, Cat had a kill.  7-5, Annie served up an ace.  7-5, CBU took this point.  Sav dove for the ball and couldn’t get it.  She pounded the floor.  8-6, Julianna got a block.  8-7, Yagoda Jedrzejczak had a big kill for CBU.  9-7, Ash went crosscourt again for the kill.  10-8, a CBU swing dropped in.  11-8, CBU made a long serve out.  11-10, CBU aced as Savannah couldn’t handle the receive.  12-10, Megan stole a move from Sav and flew in for a kill. 

13-10 Aggies, Meg had another kill.  Brig made two digs on a point that was very disorganized.  We had radio call tonight.  Adam Young described the point as, “Not pretty.”  14-11, Brigette got her first kill.  15-13, Cat got a kill after two attack errors on the previous points.  Media timeout.  16-13, Annie painted the line with an ace.  17-14, Cat fired a laser for a kill.  18-14, Jules and Cat combined on a block.  Timeout Lancers.  On the sidelines, Megan was blowing her nose.  It wasn’t affecting her play, but I wonder if there’s more illness going through the team.

18-15 Aggies, Nat had a net serve.  The Aggies were still doing better serving than their last game against CBU.  19-15, Ash crossed it for a kill again.  19-16, a CBU shot dropped in.  Coach Jordan looked like an opera singer on the sidelines.  He was “singing” loudly and was very expressive with his hands.  20-16, the Aggies got to 20 first again on another kill by Ashley. 

20-18, Ash had her first attack error as the Aggies took a timeout.  The Cheerleaders tossed souvenir hats into the crowd.  I got a good look at one as a guy Cheerleader came near our section holding one, getting people to cheer for it.  It was a regular hat with a leather Aggie patch on the front.  I had doubted it was an all-leather hat when it was announced in the last game.

20-19 Aggies, Savannah was blocked.  CBU tied it at 20 on an ace.  Megan tried to dig it off the floor.  Timeout Aggies.  21-20, Meg made a kill at a defender’s ankles.  22-21, CBU took this point.  Megan had a dig on the point, as Sav had another attack error.  CBU took the lead, 23-21, as Megan was blocked.  24-21 CBU, with a kill, the Lancer reserves started going crazy.  24-22 CBU, they had an out-serve, but finished it on a block, 25-22.


Halftime
On the radio, Adam said Savannah had been named the offensive player of the week in the WAC this morning for her performances last week.  So far, she only had one kill tonight.  Given their high-jumping play, it wasn’t hard to imagine that Sav and Cat had tired legs in their third game in five days.  Even with some great contributions from other players, the team just wasn’t the same without those two pounding in most of the kills.

In the stands, the teen girl volleyball teams were doing the Macarena.  Before the third set started, the crowd spontaneously broke into a, “Go Aggies!” chant.  In spite of the score, this one wasn’t over yet.

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