The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
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DREAMS DEFERRED
Dexter downs Hornets in 4
By Jerry Hinnen, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: March 8, 2007
The 2006-2007 Saline volleyball team will be remembered for sending four players on to college volleyball, for its 10-games-over .500 record and most importantly for breaking Bedford's stranglehold on the Southeastern Conference.
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But the program's next district title will have to wait at least another year. The Hornets were eliminated in the semifinals of Saturday's Class A District 3 tournament, falling in four games to SEC rival Dexter.
"I'm really proud of the way they fought (against Dexter)," said head coach Courtney Huffman. "We asked them to play every point like it was their last. These tournaments are all about who shows up to play that day, and Dexter played really well."
Saline had swept the Dreadnaughts in three quick games Feb. 15, while Dexter was missing a key player. But despite falling behind 8-3 in Game 1, following back-to-back kills from Saline's Kara Zawisza, Dexter showed that the previous result meant little as they exploded for a 19-4 run and a comfortable 25-17 game win.
The Dreadnaughts looked to be in control of Game 2 as well, up 17-10. This time, Saline clawed their way back, with a pair of Nicole Whiddon kills bringing the Hornets within 21-18 and kills from Kacy Hartman and Zawsiza eventually giving Saline a 23-22 lead.
But in what might have been the match's turning point, Dexter won the next three points for a sudden 25-23 game win and commanding 2-0 lead.
With their backs to the wall, Saline took Game 3 25-21. The Hornets got a big block from Whiddon and Susan McDonough to break a 7-7 tie and never trailed again. Dexter did cut a 23-18 lead to 23-21, but the Hornets regrouped and finished the game off with a Whiddon kill and block from Jen Galbreath.
Game 4 looked to be headed to another tight finish after a Hartman kill trimmed what had been a five-point Dexter lead to 16-14. But again the Dreadnaughts responded, winning six of the next eight for a 22-16 lead.
With the score at 24-21, the match — and Saline's season — ended in frustrating fashion as the Hornets were called for a substitution error, handing Dexter the final point.
Afterward, Huffman admitted her disappointment with the error, but said it made little difference in the overall outcome.
"The match was determined way prior to that," she said. "We didn't pass the ball well enough or play defense well enough."
Perhaps most disappointing for the Hornets is that their tournament had started with a dominant 25-12, 25-17, 25-17 sweep of Tecumseh in the opening round. Saline never allowed the Indians to lead or even tie later than a 9-9 tie in Game 2.
"We played awesome in the first match," Huffman said. "We came out prepared. We were ready."
The Dexter loss brought the careers of Saline's five seniors — Whiddon, Zawisza, Galbreath, Kelsi Bitter and Emily Lloyd — to a close. Huffman paid tribute to the work ethic and leadership of her senior class, noting that Lloyd "never missed one practice" despite suffering a season-ending injury in the season's first week.
"That's what being a teammate is all about," she said. "They've all adjusted well to my coaching. They're phenomenal athletes. We beat Bedford and won the league this year. I don't think that's happened for 10 years. We're going to hold onto that and run with it."
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