Sports
Cranford Volleyball Serves Up a Spirited Win Over Scotch Plains
The Lady Cougars improved their record to 11-4.
The Cranford High School girl’s volleyball team, defending state Group II champs, seem poised to contend again.
The Lady Cougars improved their record to 11-4 Monday afternoon in a spirited 19-25, 25-16, 25-15 win over Scotch Plains High School.
As the No. 3 seed in the Union County Tournament, the Lady Cougars let an 11- 3 lead get away in the first game, but rallied in the second game from an 8-3 deficit and scored 10 of the last 11 points to take the third game.
“We were struggling because everybody was getting frustrated, so it took a while for all of us to pull together, but that’s what we tried to do for the second game,’’ said senior, three-year starter and tri-captain Kaitlyn Irwin, who had three aces, 16 service points and three digs in the game.
"We let [the Raiders' coach Adrienne Stack] get in our heads and you can’t let that happen, so we lost it,’’ said Cranford coach Lucy Diaz. “We lost momentum and started getting very frustrated.’’
As the No. 3 seed in the Union County Tournament, the Lady Cougars let an 11- 3 lead get away in the first game, but rallied in the second game from an 8-3 deficit and scored 10 of the last 11 points to take the third game.
“We were struggling because everybody was getting frustrated, so it took a while for all of us to pull together, but that’s what we tried to do for the second game,’’ said senior, three-year starter and tri-captain Kaitlyn Irwin, who had three aces, 16 service points and three digs in the game.
"We let [the Raiders' coach Adrienne Stack] get in our heads and you can’t let that happen, so we lost it,’’ said Cranford coach Lucy Diaz. “We lost momentum and started getting very frustrated.’’
The third game was tied at 8-8 and 13-13. Cranford led 18-15 when Scotch Plains-Fanwood coach Adrienne Stack called a timeout. After the break, Knorr served eight straight points to put the game away. Meghan Bartsch and Julie DeBella made a block to end it.
Knorr had six aces and 11 service points and two blocks. Rupp had an ace, four service points and 12 digs and Bartsch had three aces, 11 service points, four kills and three blocks. She also had 17 assists.
“It just takes one person to get us back in the game, when something goes right we feed on it, especially the servers,’’ Diaz said. “Once they get one ace in there and a second ball, they get stronger and stronger and more confident and things work. That third game, the last two games went back and forth the whole way until we broke through. But we got strong serving and it flowed from there.’’
“It just takes one person to get us back in the game, when something goes right we feed on it, especially the servers,’’ Diaz said. “Once they get one ace in there and a second ball, they get stronger and stronger and more confident and things work. That third game, the last two games went back and forth the whole way until we broke through. But we got strong serving and it flowed from there.’’
“Standing back there is... you don’t know what to expect basically, but you have to stay determined,’’ said Knorr, who is playing her first year of varsity. “It feels good. We come in with such high expectations because we won states last year and we’re living up to them.’’
The Lady Cougars will play host to No. 6 seed Westfield Saturday in the county tournament quarterfinals. Cranford was beaten in the county final by Union Catholic last year.
The Lady Cougars will play host to No. 6 seed Westfield Saturday in the county tournament quarterfinals. Cranford was beaten in the county final by Union Catholic last year.
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