Portagers
fall to Cardinals in three game
Posted by Matt Wenzel, Manistee News
Advocate
ONEKAMA — Mason County Eastern’s success in recent years
is something other teams in the West Michigan D League would like to
replicate.
But, the wins and trophies don’t come without hard work
on the court as Onekama witnessed Tuesday when the Cardinals went on to
win 25-21, 25-13, 25-8.
“They’re just super, super aggressive,” Onekama coach
Sherri Slater said of MCE. “You don’t see the best passes or the best
setting or anything, but they are aggressive — every single one of
them.”
The Cardinals have to be since they have only six players
on the team.
“I’m not used it, but this year I’m getting kind of used
to it,” said MCE coach Bill Cole, adding that low numbers in the program
resulted in the bare minimum of players. “Some of it’s more difficult
knowing that if someone is struggling, I can’t take them out. Some of it
is easier where they know they’re going to play the same spot every
game, so they can get used to playing next to that girl.”
The Portagers got off to a solid start in the first game
as they stayed within striking distance of the Cardinals and pulled even
at 18 with a three-point run served up by Emily Bergren before the
Cardinals pulled away. |
“They were digging up everything that first game — it was
going really well — and then the aggressiveness and the communication
just kind of went away,” Slater said. “Everything quieted down.”
MCE’s Jordan Lake served up seven straight points early
in the second game as the Cardinals pulled away, then went on a
six-point run early in the third en route to the sweep as MCE improved
to 18-8-3 and 3-0 in the league.
“I think we started out with an energy, intensity and
focus the first game that started to kind of peter out as the match went
on,” Slater said.
Elana Luce and Paige Wheeler led the Cardinals with eight
kills apiece.
Alexis Tribfelner finished with four kills and four digs,
Kelly Koon had two kills and five digs, Emily Bergren had five digs and
Anna Brown had eight assists.
The Portagers had just two service errors in the match,
but a pair of three-point runs were their longest.
“We started very well, but they were breaking our serve,”
Slater said. “We had no real service runs.”
Matt Wenzel,
Manistee News Advocate
on-line |
