Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Cavs rally to reach semifinals
varsity.roanoke.com
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DALEVILLE -- Lord Botetourt athletic director Chuck Pound had a lapful of snoozing six-month-old Addalyn Underwood during the Cavaliers' Region III volleyball quarterfinal Tuesday night against Turner Ashby.
What, not exciting enough?
Little Addalyn woke up midway through the match and so did her favorite team. Botetourt crawled out of an 0-2 hole and roared back for a 20-25, 26-28, 25-13, 28-26, 15-8 victory over the visiting Knights.
Botetourt (20-3) advances to Thursday's semifinals against Jefferson Forest, which handed the Cavaliers one of their three losses this season. The match is scheduled for Wilson Memorial High School, but could be moved to a site closer to both schools.
First-year coach Cheryl Shockley was coaching softball at James Madison University last year when Botetourt's 2008 season ended with a 3-1 loss to Turner Ashby in the regional semifinals.
Her players didn't forget it.
"They brought it up briefly," Shockley said. "Our motto is 'create your season.' Whatever they wanted to do tonight, they were going to do it. If they wanted to fold over and reminisce about last year, they could do that.
"But at practice yesterday, I saw them getting into it. We had a great scouting report on TA and they took advantage of everything."
Botetourt also had nerves of steel when it counted most.
With the score tied at 23 in Game 4, Botetourt's Macey Tyree smacked a sharp serve down the right sideline.
The line judge signalled good. Botetourt 24, TA 23.
No, the head linesman overruled him. TA 24, Botetourt 23.
No again, the down referee conferred with both, then awarded Tyree the ace. Moments later, Tyree's kill sent the match to a fifth game.
"I knew it was in, but it was making everybody nervous," Tyree said. "That's actually the serve that I go for. That's the easiest serve for me. It was pretty risky, but you've got to take chances."
Turner Ashby coach Gina Troyer knew it was a key point.
"You've got the momentum against you, then you've got it, then you've got it going against you," Troyer said. "But that's volleyball."
Tyree, the Blue Ridge District player of the year, had another huge match with 34 kills and 22 digs.
She had plenty of help. Kristyn Brogan had two blocks and nine kills, including the final two of the match. Katey Hall had 12 kills and eight digs, while Caroline Brown had six kills, Leah Poehner had 17 digs and Keegan Brads scrambled for 61 assists.
Botetourt overcame a 4-2 deficit and cruised in Game 5, the second time this season the Cavaliers have come back after losing the first two games.
Turner Ashby (17-8), which blew a 2-0 lead in the Massanutten District final last week against Spotswood, was led by sophomore Stephanie Shickel with 44 assists and juniors Sara Ritchie and Jenny Anne Flory with 19 kills and 25 digs apiece.
The Knights gave Botetourt some hitting openings -- particularly down the lines -- and were on their heels for much of the last three games.
"We haven't faced a team that goes down the line like that," Troyer said. "You try to make adjustments, but we're so routine. You play the same way for 23 matches, but you have to play differently in the 24th. Give it to them."
