Sixth-ranked East Ridge downed the host Wolfpack Monday in the regular-season finale for both teams, but it wasn’t a cakewalk for the high-flying Raptors.
Park won the first game, 28-26, …
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Sixth-ranked East Ridge downed the host Wolfpack Monday in the regular-season finale for both teams, but it wasn’t a cakewalk for the high-flying Raptors.
Park won the first game, 28-26, and was more than competitive throughout before falling in four, 15-25, 23-25 and 20-25. Park’s opening game win was the first and only game the Raptors lost in league play this season. East Ridge swept every other SEC team 3-0.
The Wolfpack now await a berth in the Class 3AAAA section meet. That contest will be played Tuesday, Oct. 24, and the Wolfpack will likely draw a home game.
On Monday, Park could have just as easily taken the third game, which turned out to be pivotal. The two teams were tied at 8-all and 9-all. Park grabbed a 17-15 lead, but East Ridge rallied to tie the game again at 20-all. Then the Raptors won five of the next eight points to earn the win.
The fourth and final game was tight as well. The teams were tied at 10-all before East Ridge took a 22-18 advantage and outscored Park three-two down the stretch to win.
East Ridge finished the season undefeated in the Suburban East Conference at 9-0 and stand 22-5 on the season.
Park ended the regular season at 5-4 in the conference, tied for fifth, and 17-9 overall. Park’s 17 wins are already the most wins in a season since at least before the 2011 season.
“It was fun,” said Wolfpack head coach Amy Johnson. “Last year we took a set off of them and this year we wanted to try and get two sets off of them and potentially win and we were close to getting an early set off of them. We played hard and we didn’t give up.
“We stayed together as a team,” Johnson added. “We talk about fettering the ball when it’s your turn to touch the ball, make sure your touch is better than the last touch and supported each other. Sometimes when things are going downhill for us we kind of all go our separate ways. That didn’t happen. We had moments when we weren’t doing what we wanted to do but the team stayed together.”
The Wolfpack did a lot of things well Monday.
“Our serve receive was really good I a didn’t know we could serve receive that well,” said middle hitter Mesa Jameson. “Now we’re going to go to practice and get even better and play them next time and we’re going to hopefully win.”
“I think we stayed consistent with our energy and I think no matter what the score is we just stayed above,” said junior setter Hannah Maxwell. “I think we just put in the effort this year. We knew we had a chance, so we just kept fighting no matter what the score is.”
The Monday match capped a busy week for the Park volleyball team.
Park went 2-2 in the Bloomington Jefferson tournament Saturday, dropping its opener, then winning two straight before falling to the hosts in the finale.
The Wolfpack bowed to Andover 2-1 (25-20, 14-25, 12-15), then defeated Minneapolis South 2-0 (25-21, 25-10) and Woodbury 2-0 (28-26, 28-26). Bloomington Jefferson scored a 2-1 victory over the Wolfpack, winning 25-20, 17-25 and 15-8.
Park spiked host Irondale in a road game Thursday, winning 25-11, 25-23 and 25-14 to move to 15-6 on the season and 5-3 in Suburban East Conference play.
A conference contending Stillwater team took down Park in three games Tuesday, Oct. 10, winning 25-14, 25-13 and 27-25 at Stillwater.
Park spiked host Irondale in a road game Thursday, winning 25-11, 25-23 and 25-14 to move to 15-6 on the season and 5-3 in Suburban East Conference play.
