Maplewood hands Chalker first loss
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MECCA -- When Maplewood and Chalker square off in volleyball, it's anyone's game. Momentum can be lost in an instant if either team can get any to begin with.
It came down to the final set Thursday, but the Rockets were able to fend off two late-set rallies by Chalker to hand the Wildcats their first loss of the season, beating them 3-2.
"When we were tied 10-10 in that third game, I literally thought to myself, 'I don't know who's gonna come away with this,' and I was being honest to myself," Maplewood coach Christen Clemson said. "(Chalker coach Sarah Brown) has made that program and those girls, I mean, they are amazing. She's made some great hitters, and she's got some great passers and good setters. It's a fun battle."
In each of the three Maplewood set wins - 26-24 in the first set, 25-19 in the fourth set and a 15-12 final-set victory - the Rockets had to fend off the opposition gnawing at them.
While at some point you run out of nails to bite, games like this are when Clemson wants for her girls. Not just to test them on the court, but off it as well.
"To me, that's what you want in volleyball. You want to test your kids because I always say to these girls that someday they're going to be more than athletes. Someday they're going to be adults," she said. "They're going to be in the real world. They're going to be pushed, and I'd rather have them be pushed and see what they're made of and know what they're made of. I want them to have confidence. I want them to go out and be able to set the world on fire."
The win moved Maplewood to 4-2 on the season.
Chalker, now sitting at 7-1, won the second set 25-23 and the third 25-21.
This was the Wildcats' first major test of the season, and despite coming out on the wrong end of it, they were just a handful of points away from coming out on the other end.
"This was our first true battle that we felt we would come into, so I'm proud of the girls," Brown said. "We battled, we did strong, but it was just too little, too late. But I'm still proud of what we did tonight.
"It was very well rounded, and that's what you want. We just couldn't put it away tonight."
Both teams' next games are against Grand Valley, but Maplewood's has a twist. Tonight under the lights at Grand Valley's football stadium, the Rockets will suit up for an outdoor game with the Mustangs.
"I'm friends with their coach, and she said, 'I was looking for a team that has a lot of fans that travel well.' And I'm fortunate right now that I got a team that travels well and brings a lot of fans," Clemson said. "I know we're really excited about it."
Grand Valley has yet to lose a set so far this season, so both teams will be in for a challenge. Clemson hopes this win will give her group the confidence to go out there and scrap, but every game is different.
"Every night is a different night. Tonight just so happened we got lucky, and it was our night," Clemson said. "We played exceptionally well in that last set, but tomorrow is a different day. The real moment of truth comes down to: Can they execute coming off of a big win? And that's what we're going to see tomorrow. Can they do what they need to do? Can we execute and take care of business? We're going to see. It's going to be a challenge."