Strasburg topples Eagles

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By Jeff Nations - jnations@nvdaily.com

BERRYVILLE -- The streak lives on for Strasburg's volleyball team.

Looking for their 12th straight victory against Bull Run District rival Clarke County on Tuesday, the Rams came prepared to work for each and every point in an eventual 3-1 (25-18, 21-25, 25-12, 25-19) victory.

Strasburg (12-2 overall, 11-0 Bull Run District) put in the work against the Eagles, but were more than willing to accept charity as well. Clarke County (6-11, 6-5) provided more than a few freebies for Strasburg in the form of service errors, passing errors, hitting errors, net violations -- you name it.

"Not passing, not setting, not hitting -- I stopped counting how many serves we missed," Eagles coach Mary Brune said. "It was a group effort."

Still, Clarke County pushed the Rams at times on Tuesday night.

Down 1-0 after Strasburg's Taylor Hill closed out the first set with a cross-court kill from the right outside position, Clarke County regrouped in the second set behind solid front-line play from junior middle hitter Ammie Levi, who helped the Eagles erase a 12-9 deficit with a kill off a Strasburg double block and a thunderous spike off an unfortunate Ram to tie the set at 13-all.

The Rams stayed in it, holding the lead as late as 18-17 before the Eagles' Olivia Gore delivered a well-timed five-polnt service run. Gore had a pair of aces in that rally as the Eagles pushed ahead 22-18. Strasburg narrowed the gap to two on Corissa Alsberry's kill, but the Eagles closed it out on Mollie Schoeb's kill to the back line.

"For some reason, we're sliding in that second game every time this season, and I'm not sure why," Strasburg coach Suzanne Mathias said. "I'm trying to figure that one out."

During the break after that second-set loss, Mathias gathered her team together to reset and regroup. The Rams responded with their best hitting stretch of the match, as Anna Racey and Cassie Myers had two kills apiece to help Strasburg jump out to a 7-3 lead.

"When we get in our huddle, coach kicks us into gear," Myers said. "We make sure we go out there so we can please our fans and please our coach."

Clarke County never did make much of a dent in that deficit, as Strasburg continued to benefit from solid hitting and the Eagles' errors en route to the 25-12 win.

"The hitters keep attacking -- that's my stress, just keep attacking and not just to go into a tip game with people or free ball," Mathias said. "If we can attack, I feel that we're pretty strong all across the board."

The Eagles seemed intent on stretching the match to five sets after that lopsided loss, shaking off an early 4-1 deficit in the fourth set to push ahead 11-6. The 6-foot Levi again played a decisive role with a kill and a strong defensive presence, while Gore had an ace during her four-point service run.

"I didn't think they had an answer for Ammie," Brune said. "I don't like my setters to focus on one hitter, but that was the case [tonight]."

The Rams chipped away at that margin, finally tying the set at 15-all on Julia Morikawa's second ace of her three-point service run. Levi helped the Eagles surge right back ahead with a block and a kill, but Myers came through once more for the Rams. First, the senior scored on a dink to pull her team within two at 18-16. Then, she opened a seven-point service run with an ace to put the Rams comfortably ahead for good.

"Tonight they really gave us a run," Myers said. "They're a very good team. They're good competitors."

For the Eagles, Levi finished with eight kills and four blocks, Gore had three aces and Isabella Eyles finished with three kills.

Myers had seven kills, four aces and a pair of blocks to lead the Rams. Morikawa chipped in with four aces and Racey tallied four kills and a pair of aces.

"We're peaking at the right time," Mathias said. "We started off kind of slow at the beginning of the season. Now it seems to be coming together. We still have things to work out, but overall I think we're playing well as a team."