Porkies Bow Out In Style

The season ended for the Nashua Lady Porcupines last Friday at the Glasgow Scottie gym when they lost to the Bainville Bulldogs in the 2014 Volleyball Divisional Tournament. The Porcupines lost in the first round to the R&L Fusion in three very hard fought games. The match went to four games against Bainville.

Even though they went out in two matches, the Nashua team played extremely well and in both matches. There were a lot of points that could have gone either way, but the wind was blowing against them and the ball fell to the "wrong" side of the net.

There were a multitude of extended volleys in which the ball crossed the net more than a dozen times, with the Nashua girls digging and setting and making some really good saves. Faith Keys led the team with her powerful kill shots and in both matches every time her turn came to serve she howitzered at least one ace which the Lady Bulldogs had trouble shooting back. In the Bainville match Faith had a stretch of four aces in a row. She's just a junior so we'll see her again next season.

Nashua's only senior, Sandy Viste started out her tournament play against Richey/Lambert by scoring two blocked shots, 1 PNK (Point not a Kill) and one smashing kill into center field as the Porcupines racked up an 8 to 3 early lead. She added another KWA (Kill With Attitude) later right after R&L tied the score at 10 each. It wasn't enough, however as R&L won the first set 25 to 20.

Seems that throughout the tourney Nashua started off like gangbusters but faltered a bit toward the end of each game.

Ryleigh Delich showed her worth in the second game with a KWA while teammates Keys and Tasha Chamberlain garnered a couple saves and digs, keeping the Porcupines right in there. But with the score tied at 14 Nashua faltered and allowed R&L to take the lead. It was not relinquished and it was on to the third game.

R&L jumped out to a 5 nil lead before Viste made a great block for the point. Then Keys stepped up to the line and rattled off three aces and Ryleigh made a great save to keep a volley going, resulting in a point for the Porkies and tying the set at 7 apiece.

Chloe Koessl made an awesome one armed out of bounds save which she passed to

Ziggy Chamberlain who set it up so that Viste could whack it across the net to an awed Fusion team who were all thinking, "Now how did they do that"?

But alas, all was lost when the Fusion went on a 16 to 3 run to win the match.

I arrived at the gym just as the Nashua v. Bainville match began and saw an incredible nearly pancake dig by Keys hitting the ball up just high enough for Tasha to smack it across the net into the far right corner hard enough to make a statement that told the Bulldogs, "That's who we are and that's how we play this game. With intensity."

Later there was a volley that crossed the net 14 times with each Porcupine getting an eye-popping save, a DWA (Dig With Attitude), a KWA or a Doink. It was volleyball played as the game should be played on both sides of the net.

For those Porcupine fans who don't normally read about the Hinsdale kids, a "Doink is where the player will jump to the ceiling, swing her arm back as if to tear the cover off the ball and at the very last moment when the opposition is running for cover, simply pitty-pat (Doink) it to an open spot. It's a great play when you do it, but dirty pool when it's done to you!

The next game was the high point in the Porcupines' tournament as they set the Bulldogs back on their haunches, jumping out to an early 6 to 1 lead. Then, right after Viste smashed a KWA to the right corner, the B'Ville coach called a cease fire with Nashua ahead by five beans. After the time out, Keys started right off with a KWA and with her teammates answering the call. Nashua amassed an 18 to 9 lead, smothering the Bulldogs' kill attempts and blocking their shots.

Then Nashua napped while B'Ville went on a 6 to 0 run, culminating with a BWA (Block With Attiitude) by Bulldog Mackenzie Butikofer, making the score Nashua 18 and Bainville 15.

The Porcupine faithful – of which there were many in attendance – were getting restless when B'ville scored a "net-walker" to pull within two beans of the lead. Their angst was unangst-ed when the Porcupines scored the last three pernts for the win, 25 to 20.

In the third game, Faith picked one off the net, sending it back to Ryleigh who air-mailed it back to Bainville for a point. Viste blocked a Bulldog kill attempt attaching a note that read "return to sender."

In this match and the one to follow (which B'ville won) the Nashua squad played hard, played well but just couldn't get the breaks when the call was close.

I was impressed by the overall play of the Porcupines and most of all I think they have a really good player in the making in Ziggy Chamberlain. She's a freshman who plays like a senior. She seems to know the game well and is aware of her role on the team.

In the final game, Bainville scored on three straight Doinks to the same place on the court for the win, ending Nashua's hopes of advancing to play at least one more match.

Twas a very good year for Nashua Porcupine volleyball, much to the credit of Shersteen Cline, head coach, and assistant coach Jenna Johnson. Their fan support, according to some of the players, was "awesome."

That's it for now folks. Thanks for listening.

NASHUA STATISTICS

Nashua vs. Richey-Lambert

Aces 9, Assists 16, Kills 19, Digs 7, Blocks 6

Individuals with the highest in each category:

Aces: Sandy Viste 5

Assists: Chloe Koessl 15

Kills: Faith Keys 7

Digs: Natasha Chamberlain, Ziggy Chamberlain 3

Blocks: Sandy Viste, Faith Keys, Natasha Chamberlain 2

Scoring

Game 1: Nashua 12, Bainville: 25

Game 2: N 25 B 20

Game 3: N 18 B 25

Game 4: N 22 B 25

NASHUA VS. BAINVILLE

Aces: Faith Keys 7

Assists: Chloe Koessl 12

Kills: Faith Keys 12

Digs: Tasha Chamberlain 5

Blocks: Faith Keys 2, Tasha Chamberlain: 2