The women’s volleyball team improved their Bay Valley Conference record to 3-1 (9-1 overall) with a big win over Santa Rosa Wednesday night. Outside hitter Crystal Haymore tore the Bear Cubs apart with a match-leading 22 kills, overcoming an ankle injury in the third game and suppressing what looked to be a huge comeback by Santa Rosa.
Yuba had a 2-0 game lead until Haymore suffered an ankle injury and was forced to sit. Santa Rosa started a comeback, and even though Haymore missed only part of game three before returning to the rotation, the Bear Cubs managed to keep the momentum and tie the match at 2-2.
Just when it looked like the 49ers might lose their second match in a row, the Santa Rosa offense started to choke. The 49ers then took control and finished them off, winning the match 30-24, 30-26, 25-30, 29-31, 15-7.
“This was a good win because Santa Rosa came back on us, so we really had to dig deep,” head coach Thea Post said.
The 49ers controlled much of the first game, winning 30-24. Santa Rosa kept it close in the second game, but the 49er offense simply would not let up. The crowd smelled blood and with vocal support from some members of the 49er football team, they took an 18-12 lead and held on to win the game 30-26.
The third game looked to be all Yuba until Haymore was sidelined for an ankle injury. The Bear Cubs offense soon roared to life despite a 12-4 Yuba lead, scoring six straight points and an ace to make it 12-10.
Santa Rosa capitalized on a few Yuba errors to tie the game at 18-18. The 49ers were tenacious, however, and took the lead at 22-20, then lost it, then came back to tie again before Santa Rosa silenced the offense and the crowd with two aggressive blocks. Santa Rosa finally took hold of a 25-30 win, which was enough to give Santa Rosa hope of a comeback.
They fell apart in the final game, however, as Yuba outscored them 8-2 before the side change. The Bear Cubs were obviously floundering by then, having scored only an ace and a point by a rotation penalty. Yuba continued to stretch the lead to 11-2 before Santa Rosa made any progress whatsoever.
They mustered a three-point scoring run but then fell short, and a kill by Johanna Farren provided the finishing touches to give Yuba the final game 15-7.
The Yuba offense ultimately decided the game. Alisa Korn seemed to be setting up Haymore for one of her kills on every point, and Santa Rosa just couldn’t keep up.
Haymore led all scorers with 22 kills, Sarah Moffitt added 12 kills, and Katie Devaney and Lindsey Quail scored 11 kills each. Many of those kills came off Alisa Korn’s skillful setting, which earned her 51 assists.
Eight aces and four players with 100 percent serving also kept the 49ers in control. In the back row, Cassidy Haskell had 11 digs and Krystal Gualco had 10.
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