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Niles seniors dominate LaBrae

Tribune Chronicle / Marc Weems Niles' volleyball team celebrates during Monday's victory over LaBrae in Niles.

NILES — The Niles Red Dragons volleyball team seemed ready to go from the start. Niles would go on to win the match 3-1 behind a senior-led group.

In the first set, Niles stayed ahead for nearly all of the set but LaBrae got close a few times before the Red Dragons pulled away with a 25-18 victory.

“They (Niles) didn’t graduate any seniors last year so they have been together for a while,” LaBrae coach Heather Sankey said. “They have that team unity. Great effort from my girls as we able to come back.”

The second set was more of the same for Niles. It seemed that every time LaBrae scored a point, Niles came right back with a point. The Red Dragons (6-3) pulled away late in the set for a 25-15 victory for a 2-0 in the match.

“In that third set, that girl probably had eight or nine service points on us in a row,” Niles coach Ron Slipkasky. “They had their two best hitters in the back so they were lined up right.”

Tribune Chronicle / Marc Weems LaBrae's Danielle Douce spikes the ball as teammate Emily Kujala looks on Monday in Niles.

The third set changed momentum but not until midway through the set. Niles led the set 15-11 before LaBrae’s Tiana Drake scored seven straight service points to give the Vikings an 18-15 lead. Niles was forced to call a timeout.

Niles got as close as 21-22 before LaBrae pulled away for a 25-23 set win.

“It’s one of the things we are working on,” Sankey said about battling to win the third set. “We are trying to keep the momentum swing on our side. That’s a big thing in volleyball. They are a very good defensive and offensive team. They (Niles) looked to where we were weak.”

Sankey also said that as a younger team, it working on the fundamentals of the game to improve each match.

LaBrae then lost all the third set momentum as Niles came out in the fourth set with the win on its mind. Niles did just that behind great back line play in a 25-15 set win to win the match.

Slipkasky said this is now the seventh time Niles has lost a set and rallied for the next one.

“I’m just trying to get consistent volleyball, serve at a high percentage and hit at a high percentage,” he said. “We had a few more errors than normal.”

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