By Nathan Hutton (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: February 5, 2014
The reigning national champion women’s volleyball team have dominated 2013-14, moving into the new year without missing a beat.
This past weekend the Cascades matched up with the Capilano University Blues. The Blues sit at fourth place, the Cascades in a tie for first.
In order to defeat the Blues, UFV would have to keep the ball away from Capilano’s defensive anchor Jacqueline Caverly, the league leader in defense, averaging more than a dig per game more than the Cascades’ own statistical leader Mallory Donen.
The Cascades had a tough time putting away a squirmy Blues team. The Blues had just enough persistence to make it to a fifth set where the Cascades would eventually put them away.
But the Cascades struggled in both games to deliver the final blow, allowing the Blues enough breathing room to get back into the game when the Cascades should have been poised to deliver the final blow.
The second game was a lot tougher for the Cascades as they looked slower and out of sorts early, dropping the first two sets, which left them in a big hole going into the third. But the Cascades avoided getting down on themselves and instead chipped away at the Blues’ lead bit by bit, winning the third set and setting up a big fourth.
The Cascades dominated the fourth set, but not without a couple snags. Late in the set, the Cascades left the door open for a comeback as the Blues scored four points in quick succession to tie the game at 24. Head coach Dennis Bokenfohr called a timeout and reminded his team the game was not over. The Cascades responded, immediately scoring two points to send the game into a fifth and final set.
Failing to make the plays they executed earlier in the game, the team would end up losing the fifth set and the game. But the Cascades will take the loss as a learning experience that doesn’t endanger their future playoff run.
If 2013 is any sign, although the Cascades did lose to a lower-ranked team this past weekend we can expect great things from them in the coming months.
The Cascades are matched up with a tough back-to-back next weekend as they’ll play host to third-place Camosun College.
