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By Alan Pearce
BOULDER - For the last two seasons, Smoky Hill has been the Mt. Everest among Centennial League volleyball teams. With the Buffaloes still strongly favored to three-peat, the question this season is who will be K-2, the second-highest mountain in the world. Boulder High took a big step toward that goal Thursday, with a tense 7-15, 15-8, 15-11 home victory against Overland in the league opener for both teams. The Panthers were getting destroyed, 13-3 in the first game, before taking the momentum immediately in the next game. "I think we came back just because we wanted it more," Boulder setter/right side hitter Katherine Whitney said. "They were a tough team. We were excited about playing them." Boulder coach Dave Blessing gave the Trailblazers an even higher compliment than his star player. "That's a team that could beat Smoky Hill," he said. Overland coach Julie Buckley said the Boulder crowd did not see the Blazers that had won eight of its first 10 matches. "I'm disappointed that we let down and played so far from our best," Buckley said. "I really feel that our problems are mental. I know the kids well enough that I saw them lose confidence." Whitney has a demoralizing effect on both teams. The 5-foot-8 senior racked up a match-high 12 kills and added three blocks and two aces in a stunning show of all-around excellence. |
"I think she's the most versatile player in the state," Blessing said. "There are other players who are better in a single area. But they don't do it all like Katherine. She does everything, more than any player I've coached." The Panthers (8-4) needed all of Whitney's swings because Boulder's hitters were not making things happen against Overland. Middle blocker Rachel Ross, Boulder's second-best hitter returning from last season, has become a blocking machine and also served up three consecutive aces in Game 3, but didn't register a kill until Game 2. That left Ashlyn Palmer as the Panthers' go-to girl when Whitney was setting. She responded with five kills, mostly on sharply angled hits. "When you're 5-5, that's what you have to do," Palmer said. "You hit line or (angles) because you can't hit into the middle of their block." Boulder scored points in bunches in the second game. The Panthers got four right away with Jordan Swisher serving and Whitney rocking three kills off Overland defenders. The Blazers scored a point when Palmer's shot landed wide, but Whitney banged another kill off the block and then went back for an ace on her jump serve. Boulder extended its lead to 11-2 before the Blazers were recovered enough to string six points together. Overland has its own equivalent to Palmer in senior outside hitter Lauren Wood (7 kills), but the Blazers' big weapon is opposite her, junior Laura DeMichelis. DeMichelis totaled 10 kills on the night, tipping for effect after whaling away quite well at first. |
"We're trying to make our defense what drives them to tip," Palmer said. But the Panthers were too dug in to move up quickly. "Her tip is so dangerous because she tips at such a great height and they go straight down. Gosh, can she get up there," Blessing said of DeMichelis. Overland grabbed the early lead in the deciding game, then Ross served for four straight Boulder points. The Panthers never had more than a three-point lead until the last point, but answered every Overland point with one or two of their own. Whitney actually had a few more hitting errors (three) than usual in the last game, but had a big block of Wood and finished with three kills, each for a critical side out. "We all expect that she's going to do wonderful things," Palmer said. "She's been great for so long (a four-year varsity standout), so we look to her for guidance too." Overland 15 8 11
Overland - Laura DeMichelis (10 kills, 6 hitting errors, 4 blocks, 1 ace), Chrissy DeMichelis (2K, 4 HE, 2B), Maxene Skidmore (2K, 3HE, 1B), Lauren Wood (7K, 4HE, 1A), Mignon Dubenion (5K, 2HE, 1B, 4A), Katie Schluter (1A), Molly McGurk (1K, 1A). Boulder - Rachel Ross (3K, 1HE, 3A), Christie Cash (2K, 1HE, 1A, 1B), Ashlyn Palmer (5K, 4HE, 2A), Caitlin Carey (1K, 4HE, 1A), Amy Krill (1HE), Katherine Whitney (12K, 4HE, 3B, 2A), Jordan Swisher (1K, 7HE). |