NMMI Sports Press
The Lady Colt Varsity Volleyball team needed all five sets to defeat the visiting Tatum Lady Coyotes in a barnburner Tuesday night at the Godfrey Athletic Center.
NMMI came out strong with seniors Olive Amechi and Alex Kammerer dominating the opening set with aggressive serves, leading the Lady Colts to an easy 25-6 win. At one point, Amechi served 10-plus in a row. But the tide turned in the second set with the Lady Coyotes returning the favor and handing NMMI a 25-8 loss.
Both teams were dialed in for the third set and the Lady Colts got the big plays they needed late in the period with a kill from Amechi and a block from senior Emily Spaniel to win it 25-21.
After Tatum took the fourth set 25-17, NMMI jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the deciding final set, but errors helped the Lady Coyotes recover and take the lead. With the score 12-8 in favor of the visitors, Amechi and Kammerer once again found their stride, making plays all over the court to ensure the victory.
An Amechi kill, a Tatum error and consecutive Kammerer aces tied the set at 12-all. A well-placed poke from junior hitter Anastasia Ament gave NMMI the lead, but a service error from Kammerer knotted the score again.
Amechi, Kammerer and sophomore Alana Kanui made great diving saves to keep the next rally alive until the Lady Coyotes lost the point and then Amechi aced the final point to give the Lady Colts a 15-13 set victory and a 3-2 match win.
“It was very exciting. We were kind of riding a rollercoaster with them,” said NMMI head coach Chantale Riddle. “We served really well in the first set, but in the second set we kind of hit the brakes and they came at us hard. We need to find more consistency, but we finally have a lineup that we’re comfortable with, so I’m hoping that stabilizes and we continue to improve.”
Riddle was pleased with her team’s overall performance in a tightly contested match, especially after playing the night before in Hondo, where the Lady Colts won in straight sets.
“From last night to today there was improvement,” she said. “Even though we fall off here and there, we’re getting better. Now we have three days with no games, which is nice. We can work on the little things.”
Riddle expects another tough matchup when the Lady Colts travel to Tatum on Oct. 10.
“These games are fun to play,” she said. “The kids are energetic, the coaches are fired up. It’s just a fun environment to play in. I know when we go there, it will be a fun environment and we have to be ready for a fight.
Next up for the Lady Colts is another meeting with Hondo, this time in the friendly confines of the GAC next Tuesday at 5 p.m.