10/21/2009 6:00:00 AM Chimacum tips PT at the net; Cowboys' season to end Monday - PT gets a playoff chance
Junior Erica Escalera (left), senior Tara Peters and senior Natasha Kiesel are part of Chimacum's back-row defense. The team's final home match is Monday, Oct. 26. Photo by Patrick J. Sullivan
Port Townsend senior Katie Pollock (left) hits against Chimacum freshman Krista Hathaway during non-league volleyball action Monday. Chimacum won in four games. Photo by Patrick J. Sullivan
By Patrick J. Sullivan of The Leader
Chimacum won't have a taste of the volleyball playoffs this season, so Monday's non-league win over Port Townsend was its delight.
PTHS is on track to host a 1A postseason game Oct. 29, but it will be against a team that has beaten Chimacum twice.
Monday night, Chimacum won at Port Townsend, 25-17, 26-24, 19-25, 25-13. Townsend led early in three of the four games. The second game was back and forth the entire way, and PT led 24-23 before two errors put the Cowboys in front for good.
PT got off to a big lead in the third game behind Katie Pollock's serving, but CHS rallied to within one point several times. Brook Nutter served PT's final points. CHS led the fourth game 8-7 and rode Cailey Snyder's serves to a bigger lead that PT never threatened.
"I've been telling them all season I think they have the most skill in the league; it's an attitude thing," coach Bridget Richardson said of the Cowboys (4-8 overall). "I think they just need to want to win. They really wanted to win tonight."
Junior Cailey Snyder hit all 23 of her serves with four aces. Krista Hathaway tagged eight kills, and Dani Kaminski drilled six. Alyssa Gale was strong at the net with four blocks.
"Natasha Keisel's libero skills were at a premium tonight," Richardson noted. "I would also like to acknowledge Kaitlyn Cadero, Erica Escalera, Lauren Graham and Jacky Wells for hustle and team cooperation on the court."
For PT (3-8 overall), Christine Unrue had 11 assists, Brook Nutter had three aces and three digs, Katie Pollock had seven kills, three digs and two blocks, and Bella Daubenberger had four kills.
"Tonight we were fighting the cold/flu that's going around, and it got the best of us," reported coach Nettie Witheridge. "I'm not making excuses for the team, but not having a big team with only a few subs sometimes hurts us."
CHIMACUM
Chimacum played well Oct. 14 in a league loss to Charles Wright, 15-25, 25-17, 20-25, 23-25. Cailey Snyder had three aces and all 25 serves were good. Dani Kaminski had two kills, Tara Peters tallied 15 hits, and Krista Hathaway had five blocks. "They did a very good job tonight," said coach Richardson. "I was very proud of all of them."
Chimacum plays at Cascade Christian on Wednesday and hosts Life Christian Academy on Monday, Oct. 26 in the regular season finale and Senior Night. The Cowboys are not one of the league's four teams with a 1A playoff slot.
PORT TOWNSEND
Townsend's Senior Night comes Monday with the home match against Klahowya, but the spikers are on target to host an Oct. 29 playoff game. Townsend plays at 2A North Mason on Thursday and hosts 2A Klahowya on Oct. 26. The regular season ends Oct. 27 at 2A Sequim.
PT needs to finish ahead of one of the Olympic League's four 2A teams to earn a sub-district 1A playoff game. The Redskins have already beaten Kingston twice and Klahowya once, and lead them both in the standings. PT is on track as a No. 3 seed coming into the 1A West Central District, which means hosting a loser-out playoff pigtail game Thursday, Oct. 29 against the Nisqually League No. 4 team (probably Charles Wright). The Oct. 29 winner advances to West Central District play Oct. 31.
In league play, PT lost to 3A North Kitsap on Oct. 13, 8-25, 11-25, 17-25 and beat Kingston on Oct. 14 in three games, 26-24, 26-23, 25-18.
"I'm proud of the girls for coming together for a big win," coach Witheridge reported. "They played as a team and came up with positive results."
Teslin LeMaster led with seven kills "and played very well in the front row." The team served 14 aces, with five from Bella Daubenberger. Christine Unrue had 10 assists and Brook Nutter three digs. Katie Pollock had five kills and three blocks.
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