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District volleyball: Osceola dispatches Springstead in five games

 
Published Oct. 22, 2014

TRINITY — To almost no one's surprise, Tuesday's first Class 6A-10 district semifinal went the distance.

In a match where two even teams couldn't hold momentum for long, Osceola had it when it mattered, beating Springstead 25-15, 11-25, 25-19, 20-25, 15-13.

The second semifinal also went as expected. Top seed and host Mitchell (20-6) cruised 25-17, 25-8, 25-12 over Largo.

Largo did not go away quietly, taking a 7-3 lead in the third set, but the Mustangs and their tall front line (the 6-foot duo of Kayla Widera and Bailey Sassatelli) scored the next six to restore order. Packers senior Nicole Longerfelt saw her career end early when she took a hard spill on her hip in the final set.

Springstead and Osceola had split their regular-season matches, with Osceola's victory in the more recent one going five games. After Osceola looked the better side in the first set, Springstead blitzed the Warriors in the second.

"The last time we played them it was the exact same way," said Osceola senior libero Katie Newman, who had 40 digs.

That's why Osceola didn't sweat it when Springstead took the fourth set, even when on four occasions the Warriors pulled within a point.

The same attitude held when Springstead jumped to a 5-2 lead in the final set. Kayla Chowdhury, who paced the Warriors (13-7) with 13 kills, started the comeback with a kill followed by an ace. Springstead (12-6) went back ahead 10-9 before Osceola started a 4-0 run.

The Eagles had a final swing in them and looked to have made it 13-all, but senior Cailla Strobel's shot landed just out. It would have been her sixth of the final set; she ended with 14.

"Tonight we were the same physically and emotionally. It just was all mental," she said.

There was a little strategy at work, too, as Osceola tried to use its speed to counter Springstead's superior size.

"When we played fast, they couldn't keep up," said Warriors coach Ryan Kramer. "When we tried to play big, and be something we aren't, is when they had the advantage."

Sophomore Lini Tavake had 12 kills and Emily Brown added seven for Osceola. Setter Alyssa Valdez hit for 31 in both the assist and dig categories.

Springstead's Alondra Rodriguez was a force on the back line with 49 digs, 15 in the final set. Delaney Anderson was second with 23 digs, 13 in the two games Springstead won.

"I couldn't be more proud of them. They played phenomenal," coach Noemi Rivera said.