Menu
O'Hara Celtics sink Tigers on Senior Night
Nevada Daily Mail
Senior Night was a rough one for the Nevada Tigers volleyball team, as they fell to the O'Hara Celtics 25-21, 25-19.
Nevada (21-10, 6-5) next travels to Clinton for the Class 3 District 11 tournament, where they are a three-seed. The Tigers will face No. 6 seed Clinton at 7:30 p.m., Monday.
Nevada head coach Ashley Thoreson said she is concerned about her team's energy level, as they have not been able to sustain playing at a high level for an entire match.
"We're definitely going to be doing some conditioning," she said.
Nevada began the match displaying a lot of energy, quickly going up 4-1.
"We tend to come out really strong," Thoreson said. "And then we just let up on the gas pedal and run out of gas. And that's kind of what has been happening lately."
Thoreson said she was impressed with the Senior Night crowd.
"Our crowd was good, our seniors were pumped up, everyone was just really focused," she said. "I thought we would be able to finish through, and we continue to just fall short, halfway through the set. And we just lose focus."
Thoreson said her team's issues are magnified when 6-foot-1 middle hitter Rilie Good is shifted to the back row.
"My other hitters are struggling right now," she said. "Not knowing what to do with the ball, or where to swing.
"And once we put Rilie in the back row, we let up a lot."
Not only did the Tigers jump out to a quick first set lead, but they held advantages of 7-3, 12-7, and 15-11, before O'Hara took 11 of the next 14 points to go on top 22-18.
The Tigers had problems handling Celtics senior setter, Katie Tyler's soft, lofting serves.
"The thing that killed us tonight was our serve-receive," Thoreson said. "They kept serving short, and for some reason we could not get there."
Nevada started out fast in the second set, reeling off the first three points. Nevada went up 6-3 when Good spiked home a kill.
With the scored tied 10-10, Tyler again gave Nevada fits while serving, as O'Hara went on a mini-run. A double block at the net on a Megan Hold kill attempt, fell the Celtics way, putting them up 14-10.
Nevada would inch to within 20-18, before O'Hara pulled away, taking five of the final six points to close out the match.
Thoreson on schedule
Thoreson, who is currently in her fourth season at the volleyball helm, said her squad has been through a lot this year, in the team's inaugural season in the West Central Conference.
"It's been a roller coaster," she said. "This has probably been our hardest season schedule-wise.
"We really have to focus every match, because the teams seem to be so much tougher in this conference."
Thoreson on seniors
Thoreson said it will be difficult replacing the departing seniors.
"Morgan and Rilie have been on varsity since they were freshmen," she said. "They have grown tremendously. They've played huge parts in the program being so successful. All of the seniors played big parts.
"It's going to be a big hit when they're not here next year. I'm very proud of where we started, and where we've come together."
Because of her size advantage and powerful swings, Thoreson's offense revolves around Good.
"All four seasons, I've relied heavily on Rilie as a hitter," Thoreson said.
McNeley's responsibilities on the court include running the team's offense.
"Morgan's been our setter since her sophomore year," she said. "So those two alone have played very key parts in our all-around offense and defense.
"So we're really going to have to have some of these younger players step up next year.
"And (seniors) Emma and Kailey play back row, and do a great job back there."
Thoreson said that Bartlett returned to the team this year, after missing her sophomore and junior seasons due to a knee injury.
"Mikayla is probably one of our most scrappy players," she said. "We'll definitely miss that from her."
District play
Thoreson said she plans on working the team hard prior to the Monday match against Clinton.
"I have 14 girls on my district roster, and we're going to scrimmage at practice," she said. "We're going to push each other. And get some of these younger girls swinging and just having that confidence."
Nevada's junior varsity and C-teams each won their match against O'Hara, Thursday night.