Wednesday's volleyball roundup

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Palm Beach Post Reports

Experience paid off for fifth-ranked Jupiter as the Warriors beat Dwyer 25-22, 25-21, 18-25, 25-11 on Wednesday.

The first game was tied at 22 when the Warriors (7-2) scored the final three points to win.

Libero Morgan Lear, one of Jupiter's five seniors, scored the winning point with a dink. Dwyer (3-3) has five juniors but no seniors.

Dwyer had opened a 9-5 lead when Jupiter coach Blane Betz called a timeout.

"I told them to stop thinking so hard and just play," Betz said. "They're really smart girls and they tend to overthink the game instead of just playing like athletes."

The second game followed a similar pattern. Twice Jupiter opened a three-point lead, but Dwyer rallied. The game was tied for the eighth time at 19 before the Warriors scored six of the final eight points.

Senior Jillian Shemanski - who led Jupiter with 19 total kills and 13 blocks - had two kills and a block during that stretch before junior Julia Book scored the game-winner with a kill to the back line.

"We just kind of outlasted them," Betz said. "We definitely have some game experience because of our seniors."

Dwyer coach Karole Hannah agreed that experience was key.

"You can definitely see our emotions go up and down, and part of that is a lack of experience," she said. "Your seniors are the group that tends to take charge, and we have no seniors."

Junior Madison Ahearn led the Panthers with 15 kills and junior Shelby Erickson added 13.

Dwyer easily won the third game when the Warriors let down.

Led by a string of Shemanski kills, the Warriors jumped out to a 8-3 lead in the fourth game.

Betz said he then told his team, "you disappeared for about a game-and-a-half but welcome back."

The Panthers closed within 13-10, but the Warriors rode a nine-point service rally by senior Taryn Tatum to win the match.

- Paul Ivice

No. 2 Wellington d. Palm Beach Central 25-8, 15-17, 25-13: Sydney Shinn recorded 12 kills and Chelsea Boretti had 36 assists as the Wolverines (7-0) swept the Broncos (4-7) in Wellington. Kristin Garceau had 10 digs for the Broncos.

No. 3 Boca Raton d. Seminole Ridge 25-8, 25-14, 25-9: Lindsey Knapp had 16 kills and six digs and Ruth Harrington added 14 service points as the Bobcats (6-1) swept the Hawks (4-4) in Loxahatchee. Megan O'Hara had five assists and three kills and Kaitlin O'Hara added six digs for Seminole Ridge.

No. 4 Lake Worth Christian d. Pompano Beach Highlands Christian Academy 25-18, 25-14, 25-11: Amanda King recorded 12 service points, 24 assists and three blocks and Kristen Kintz had six service points and 17 digs as the Defenders (6-1) swept the Knights at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Benjamin d. No. 7 Palm Beach Gardens 18-25, 24-26, 25-23, 25-23, 15-12: Jessica Armstrong had 15 kills and five blocks and five service points and Brooke Visoski added 12 kills and eight digs as the Bucs (6-2) upset the Gators (4-3) in Palm Beach Gardens. Anne Corrigan had 17 kills and 12 blocks for the Gators.

No. 9 Pope John Paul II d. Santaluces 25-21, 25-8, 25-9: Dani Chiste had 20 service point, nine kills, seven aces and five digs as the Eagles (6-1) beat the Chiefs in Boca Raton. Lauren Miko contributed 10 kills, nine service points and four aces for Pope John Paul.

Royal Palm Beach d. Palm Beach Lakes 25-1, 25-10, 25-3: Bailey Cook had 46 service points, 11 aces, five kills, nine digs and four assists and Shelby Salamone added three kills as the Wildcats (8-3) swept the Rams in Royal Palm Beach.

Centennial d. Fort Pierce Westwood 25-13, 25-16, 25-17: Abbey Rouch had 13 assists, 13 service points, nine aces and seven kills to lead the Eagles (6-2) to the sweep of the Panthers in Fort Pierce. Lydia West added eight kills and four aces for Centennial.