MONTICELLO - Argyle had its back to the wall during a crucial fourth game, trailing 24-22, Tuesday.
But the Orioles crawled back to win the game 26-22, and then rolled through the tiebreaker to take a crucial five-game match against Monticello, 25-15, 17-25, 21-25, 26-24, 15-7.
"With everything we went through last year, we needed to find a way to get confidence and make a play," Argyle head coach Shane Johnson said.
The Orioles (1-1 Six Rivers East) jumped out to a quick lead against the Ponies, 10-2, in the opening set. Monticello galloped back to make it 11-8. A second surge from Argyle in the middle of the game pushed the lead to 10, and the Ponies could not recover.
"We were inconsistent," Monticello head coach Marian Anderson said. "I tell them that everyone needs to do their job, but I think that individually and as a team we're not coming together yet."
In the second game, it was the Ponies who came out firing. Monticello got ahead by five points early (7-2), and never allowed Argyle to get within three points (19-16) before going on a 6-1 run to close out the game.
"The fact that we gained momentum was good, but I was really unsure if we could pull it out," Anderson said.
In the third game, Monticello found itself leading again. Argyle went on a short 8-2 run to take a 21-20 lead, but the Ponies recovered, taking the last five points and the game, putting the Orioles on the brink.
"If Argyle stepped it up at all, I didn't think we could have countered. I never felt like we had momentum," Anderson said. "They are not willing to play as a team yet. You can only coach so much."
Johnson hoped his team had one last spark to gain momentum, but knew his team was more than just a spark away.
"The biggest thing for us is ball control. When we get down we're not receiving well. When we finally maintain ourselves and get our control back we make good passes," Johnson said. "It just comes down to ball control, ball control, ball control."
Argyle quickly found itself ahead 8-4 and 11-5 in the fourth game, before Monticello roared back to bring the deficit to just two points at 12-10.
Argyle bounced back, taking a 19-13 lead. But an 11-3 run by Monticello had the Orioles remember many close matches from 2008 that just didn't go their way.
Junior Kelsey Bartels had a kill attempt tipped by a Monticello player to keep Argyle alive, 24-23.
Cassie Welch, who finished with a match-high 10 kills, smacked a shot to tie the score, and had a block and a kill to give Argyle the lead. Bartels then recorded a kill on a tip-for-tap war on the far side of the net, sending the Orioles players into a frenzy and the match into a definitive fifth set.
"We really re-grouped. I was happy for them," Johnson said.
In the tiebreaker session, Argyle kept the momentum, jumping out to a 10-3 lead, forcing a time out in the process. Before long, Orioles' senior setter Stephanie Cuevas sent a backwards pass to Cortney Gilberston who sent the ball to the ground, putting the game at match point at 14-5.
"Stephanie had a great match today," Johnson said. "She is really working well out there with everyone, especially Cassie (Welch)."
Moments later, Monticello's Sadi Hilliard sent a kill over the back line, ending the match.
Anderson complimented Hilliard for her 17 good serves in the match, and to sophomore Tanya Smith
"Tanya really stepped it up," Anderson said. "Taylor Klitzke also played well. I think she is going to be something special."
Klitzke had a team high seven kills for Monticello.
For Argyle, Abby Flanagan had four blocks and six kills, Jackie Dammen had six kills, Cuevas had 17 assists and four aces and libero Lindsay Flanagan had 12 digs.
"Lindsay did a really nice job in the back row. She's the one out there coordinating the defense, getting people in the right spot," Johnson said. "We just played great as a team."
But the Orioles crawled back to win the game 26-22, and then rolled through the tiebreaker to take a crucial five-game match against Monticello, 25-15, 17-25, 21-25, 26-24, 15-7.
"With everything we went through last year, we needed to find a way to get confidence and make a play," Argyle head coach Shane Johnson said.
The Orioles (1-1 Six Rivers East) jumped out to a quick lead against the Ponies, 10-2, in the opening set. Monticello galloped back to make it 11-8. A second surge from Argyle in the middle of the game pushed the lead to 10, and the Ponies could not recover.
"We were inconsistent," Monticello head coach Marian Anderson said. "I tell them that everyone needs to do their job, but I think that individually and as a team we're not coming together yet."
In the second game, it was the Ponies who came out firing. Monticello got ahead by five points early (7-2), and never allowed Argyle to get within three points (19-16) before going on a 6-1 run to close out the game.
"The fact that we gained momentum was good, but I was really unsure if we could pull it out," Anderson said.
In the third game, Monticello found itself leading again. Argyle went on a short 8-2 run to take a 21-20 lead, but the Ponies recovered, taking the last five points and the game, putting the Orioles on the brink.
"If Argyle stepped it up at all, I didn't think we could have countered. I never felt like we had momentum," Anderson said. "They are not willing to play as a team yet. You can only coach so much."
Johnson hoped his team had one last spark to gain momentum, but knew his team was more than just a spark away.
"The biggest thing for us is ball control. When we get down we're not receiving well. When we finally maintain ourselves and get our control back we make good passes," Johnson said. "It just comes down to ball control, ball control, ball control."
Argyle quickly found itself ahead 8-4 and 11-5 in the fourth game, before Monticello roared back to bring the deficit to just two points at 12-10.
Argyle bounced back, taking a 19-13 lead. But an 11-3 run by Monticello had the Orioles remember many close matches from 2008 that just didn't go their way.
Junior Kelsey Bartels had a kill attempt tipped by a Monticello player to keep Argyle alive, 24-23.
Cassie Welch, who finished with a match-high 10 kills, smacked a shot to tie the score, and had a block and a kill to give Argyle the lead. Bartels then recorded a kill on a tip-for-tap war on the far side of the net, sending the Orioles players into a frenzy and the match into a definitive fifth set.
"We really re-grouped. I was happy for them," Johnson said.
In the tiebreaker session, Argyle kept the momentum, jumping out to a 10-3 lead, forcing a time out in the process. Before long, Orioles' senior setter Stephanie Cuevas sent a backwards pass to Cortney Gilberston who sent the ball to the ground, putting the game at match point at 14-5.
"Stephanie had a great match today," Johnson said. "She is really working well out there with everyone, especially Cassie (Welch)."
Moments later, Monticello's Sadi Hilliard sent a kill over the back line, ending the match.
Anderson complimented Hilliard for her 17 good serves in the match, and to sophomore Tanya Smith
"Tanya really stepped it up," Anderson said. "Taylor Klitzke also played well. I think she is going to be something special."
Klitzke had a team high seven kills for Monticello.
For Argyle, Abby Flanagan had four blocks and six kills, Jackie Dammen had six kills, Cuevas had 17 assists and four aces and libero Lindsay Flanagan had 12 digs.
"Lindsay did a really nice job in the back row. She's the one out there coordinating the defense, getting people in the right spot," Johnson said. "We just played great as a team."
