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Photo by Brett Stanley/ The Advocate
Freshman outside hitter Kyra Speer makes a kill shot against Chemeketa's Kylee Eder (8) and Brittany Wilson in the fourth set. The Saints went won the fourth and fifth sets to win the match. Speer had 28 kill shots to lead the game. The Saints next match is against Umpqua Community College at home with the game starting at 7 p.m Friday.
Hood volleyball is back from the dead
The Advocate
After going 1-9 in the Southern Region last year, the volleyball team knocked off returning NWAACC champion Chemeketa Community College Storm Wednesday in five sets.
Heading into the game, Freeman said she was excited and prepared to face off against the Storm. Last season, the Storm finished with a 50-0 record and was ranked in the top five at the start of this season.
“We knew coming in it was going to be a good match,” Freeman said.
“They went undefeated, but coming in my expectations for this team were to meet tradition because our goal is to win NWAACC every year.
The women lost the first set early on 19-25.
“I was disappointed in our effort,” said Freeman. “We were not confident in our play.”
After the first set, the Saints came out with a strong performance from freshman outside hitter Kyra Speer who had 28 kills in the whole match.
The women jumped to an early 11-2 lead on their way to winning the second set.
“It felt great,” said Speer. “We had great team chemistry and it was a bonding moment for us as a team.”
After dropping the third set and entering the falling behind 15-11 in the fourth set, the Saints rallied to win the set 25-22.
“When Coach called timeout, she told us to just figure it out. We had to play better and it showed growth because we came through to win the set,” said Speer.
“As a coach, I told them, ‘I have nothing more to say to you girls, It has to come from within you,’ ” said Freeman.
The women rode the momentum into the fifth set to upset the returning champions 15-8 in their league opener.
“It was a little out of character how we played,” said the Storm’s Head Coach Terry McLaughlin. “We played a little too hesitant instead of attacking and that is what killed us.”
“I was just happy,” said Freeman. “It was my first win (in league) and I am really just speechless at how we played tonight. We came together as a team.”
Over the summer, the volleyball team worked harder than ever, going 10-1 with an upset over then-number three in the NWAACC’s Tacoma, according to Freeman and players.
“We had strong ball control,” said Freeman. “We really played well together. Defensively, we were strong the whole game.”
The only game the women have lost this year was against Highline from Des Moines, Wash., where they lost three straight sets after winning the first.
“That wasn’t our team playing,” said Freeman. “We looked like it was our first time out on the court together.”
As for her look on the season, she said it’s a fresh start. “I look at last season as if it never happened,” said Freeman. “I expect nothing less than meeting my expectations — and that is winning the Southern Region and NWAACC title.”
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