Experience trumps youth in Shiner win
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Paul Ebner, Advocate Sports Writer
Shiner Comanche Volleyball | Return to Shiner Home Page
CUERO -- There was a show of concern early n Shiner coach Michelle Winkenwerder's face and for good reason.
Amber Shimek, right, bumps the ball as Amber Stratman looks on during Shiner's three-game sweep of Woodsboro in the bi-district round of the Class 1A playoffs on Tuesday. The Lady Comanches will face Round Top-Carmine next on Thursday in Schulenburg.
Her Lady Comanches quickly found themselves playing catchup against the Woodsboro Lady Eagles, but in the end it was Shiner's experience that prevailed.
Using a late charge to claim Game 1, the Lady Comanches claimed a 26-24, 25-10, 25-17 win over the Lady Eagles in a Class 1A bi-district playoff game.
Shiner (24-10) advances to face Round Top-Carmine in the area round on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Schulenburg. Woodsboro ends its season at 14-21.
Shiner tried to get going from the start and took a 5-4 lead on a kill from Amber Stratman, but Woodsboro's Emily Schneider answered right back with one of her eight kills to tie the game.
Schneider then fired in an ace and got kills from Meagan Niemann and Megan Carter to take a 9-5 lead and force Winkenwerder to call timeout.
"It was a little bit nerves and nobody wanting to make a mistake," Winkenwerder said. "They wanted to play the perfect game and there's no such thing."
"I told them to just go out and leave it all out on the floor."
The Lady Comanches responded and behind an ace by Caitlin Kalich and a kill by Alyssa Strauss grabbed a 17-14 lead they never relinquished.
Woodsboro was able to tie the game three more times, but a kill from Iesha Flowers put the Lady Comanches up 25-24 before Robin Petropoulous' attack sailed long giving Shiner the opening win.
Woodsboro gained a quick 3-1 advantage in Game 2 behind three Shiner attack errors, but Shiner came back to life behind the serving of Flowers.
Flowers ran off seven unanswered points behind two kills from Stratman and a block by Shelby Bernshausen for a 9-3 lead. Amber Shimek would later add a 6-0 service run, before Flowers would end the game with one of her eight kills on the night.
Strauss fired in an ace to get things rolling in Game 3 for the Lady Comanches who would never trail in claiming the final game and match.
With six sophomores on the squad, the Lady Eagles' inexperience showed in the final game with 15 unforced errors that kept them from ever making a run at the Lady Comanches.
Paul Ebner is the assistant sports editor for the Victoria Advocate.
Contact him at 361-580-6507 or by e-mail at pebner@vicad.com.
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