The Clarkston Wolves looked poised to rise above .500 for the first time this season, but instead came away with a 1-1 split at a double-dual meet at Oxford High School on Dec. 20.
Clarkston took the Wildcats (10-1-2) to the distance after taking the first game handily, 25-15. Oxford came back with two straight wins, 25-23. After a close fourth game, the Wolves pulled ahead and won on a kill from outside hitter Marilynn Porritt, 25-22.
In the deciding game, Clarkston (5-5, 1-2 OAA) jumped out to a 5-1 lead, which was promptly met by the Wildcats. The teams traded points back and forth, until the Wolves? serve from Juliann Gillespie went long, returning the serve to Oxford. The Wildcats closed the door with setter Laura Brown’s final two points, 16-14.
Wildcats Coach Kristi McDevitt was confused by her team’s lack of execution in the home-opening victory.
‘I don’t know if it’s just the nerves of the first home game or what, we just gave away too many easy points,? she said.
‘We had a rough time with our middle hit, but other than that, we should have been strong. We gave away too many easy points that we usually don’t.?
Clarkston Coach Kelly Avenall needed to brief the team before their second match against Utica Eisenhower.
‘I really felt like we played hard against Oxford. They didn’t beat us, but we beat ourselves in that match and that’s what I told them. We had so many unforced errors and so many hitting and serving errors in moments where we just gave them four or five points in a row that they didn’t earn that we just gave them,? Avenall said.
‘And that’s why we lost and obviously that’s something that we need to work on to gain respect in this county.
‘In the first match against Oxford we came out and won right away and as it has been the case with us this year, we kind of let down,? Avenall said.
In the second match vs. the Eagles, the game was close nearing the 10th point, but from there, Clarkston put on the jets, taking the the game 25-17.
The Wolves jumped to a large lead in the second, 16-9, and Eisenhower failed to come closer than seven points in Clarkston’s 25-18 win.
The Eagles clung to life in the end of the third game, which Clarkston nearly forgot to finish after going up 23-20. The girls quickly regained focus to take a 25-22 win.
‘It was a complete turnaround, I couldn’t be happier. We beat them in three and I thought we looked solid,? Avenall said.
‘I was probably a little tough on them after that Oxford game,? she admitted.
‘I thought they were going to have their heads hanging. I was proud of them that they were able to come back and beat that team in three. It proved that they were winners and get over that loss really quick.?
Eagles coach Michelle deCardenas was disappointed after the match.
‘We got off on a high note on Saturday winning the Marine City tournament and came today and didn’t have our heads in the game. There were a lot of things going on and that wasn’t their best play,? she said.
‘We’ve been trying to be a comeback team, volleyball is a very mental sport. When you get down quite a few points, it’s hard to mentally and physically get back into the game,? deCardenas added.
‘So we’ve been focusing a lot on that because it’s easy to do.?
Gillespie and Lauren Gardner had 20 and 19 kills respectively, Amanda Byrd had 31 digs and Emily Parkin chipped in 48 assists for Clarkston in its two matches.
Avenall said the Wolves have started to figure out how to win quickly, after opening the season with consecutive losses to Oakland Activities Association big dogs.
‘From the first game against Seaholm until now, it almost makes me want to have that game back because I think we could play them a lot tougher,? she said.
‘We’re where we want to be and they’re realizing what it’s like to win. It’s (remaining focused) just one little hump we need to get over.?