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David Douglas ends Crater's run By JOE ZAVALA CENTRAL POINT - Sometimes one point can sum up a whole match. In this case, that point came with David Douglas High nursing a 12-8 lead over Crater High in Game 2. That's when the Scots' middle blocker Aslee Moulton was doubled teamed at the net on a hitting attempt, only to go for the tip at the last second. The ball sailed just over the outstretched hands of both Comet defenders and landed squarely on the right sideline. David Douglas celebrated, Crater slumped and just like that, the Comets said goodbye to their first playoff appearance in 14 years. The Scots used unrelenting defense and a balanced attack to disassemble the Comets 15-10, 15-8, Wednesday, in a Class 4A subround playoff match at Crater High. David Douglas (27-11 overall), the No. 4 team out of the Mount Hood Conference, advances to play Forest Grove on Friday. The winner of that advances to the 16-team tournament, where its first-round opponent will be Benson. Crater (13-8), meanwhile, is left to deal with a disappointing end to its first playoff match since 1988. "(David Douglas) played well," Crater coach Leaf Jensen said. "They didn't make many mistakes. Our mistakes just ate us up. Kind of low energy for some reason. (It was) nerves to an extent. We just never really let go and had fun and played the kind of ball we played (during the season). "Losing is one thing. You can lose if you get beat and if you play your best you might get beat, but we didn't play our best and that part is pretty tough on the kids." Crater had its chances. The Comets, who finished second in the Southern Oregon Conference, used valiant comebacks in both games to make it interesting, but could never get over the hump. In Game 1, Crater fell behind 11-5, then scored five of the next six points to pull within 12-10. A two-hit violation gave David Douglas the ball back and the Scots capitalized, scoring the next two on a pair of Danielle Court kills to go up 14-10. They took the game two sideouts later on Moulton's tip kill. Court went 12 for 13 with eight kills to lead David Douglas, which also got a 15 for 17, five kill performance out of Tresa Laymon. It was Crater's statistics that told the story, however. The Comets managed just 12 kills as a team, led by senior middle Nicholette LeBel, who had six. LeBel averaged 14 kills per match during the regular season. "I think we were just burned out," said Crater senior setter Sarah Yager, one of seven players who will graduate off the team. "I think we just weren't ready for what we were expecting. It's like our first time in the playoffs for volleyball in so many years and we were really nervous and no one just played relaxed. Everyone just went out there and played really tense, more scared that we were going to lose than playing to win. "It's sad because seven of us are seniors and we're going to leave with a sour taste in our mouths, but we had a great season and we just need to think of that." Game 2 was more of the same, with David Douglas building a big, early lead, forcing Crater to play catch up. The Comets did, scoring three in a row to get within 8-7. David Douglas coach Kelly Wells called a quick timeout to calm down his troops. It worked. The Scots got a quick sideout on the next point, then rattled off four straight on Jackie Evando's serve to go up 12-7. After Crater finally got the sideout, Addie Wiersma's tip kill got them within 12-8, but two points later Moulton came up with the play that defined the match to all but clinch the victory. "That was one of our best matches of the year," Wells said. "We knew we had to play our best to beat Crater, especially on their home floor ... We knew that we were going to be up against it and we just happened to put one of our best matches on the floor against them." Wells said his teams' ability to neutralize Crater's attack was the key. "Crater is loaded with great hitters and I thought that we blocked very well and we dug the ball very well," he said. "Our defense was excellent." Both teams came in ranked No. 8 in the latest 4A poll, but David Douglas made the gap look much bigger. The Scots never trailed in either game and allowed Crater to tie just once, at 3-3 in Game 1. "They were just more consistent," Jensen said of David Douglas. "Just everything they did was more consistent. Their passing was more consistent, their attacks, while not overpowering, were very consistent and well placed, and they served tough. They just got us." Added Crater junior middle Crystal Huntley, "Overall, we've accomplished so many of the goals that we set ... and that was the main thing. It's just been a really incredible year for Crater volleyball and we're really proud of how we did. Even though it was disappointing, we're still happy." |
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