TOWAMENCIN – A funny thing happened at the Christopher Dock Volleyball Tournament on Saturday.
Council Rock North – playing without its seniors because of a class trip – didn’t just put in a token appearance.
As a matter of fact, just the opposite was true.
The Indians came mighty close to winning the whole thing, rolling through the tournament without a loss until the title match when Dock edged Rock North 2-1 in three tightly-contested games (25-23, 26-28, 25-16).
“We worked real hard,” junior Hunter Stevens said. “This was big because our seniors are down in Florida. We were missing our main two passers – Ross Denkin and Justin Devitt, so our young guys stepped up.
“A freshman (Doug Devitt) came up and played, and our sophomores stepped up big. I was real proud of everyone. For some of them, it was the first time playing varsity.”
If Saturday’s performance is any indication, the future is bright for Rock North volleyball. The Indians cruised through pool play without a loss, downing Central Bucks South (25-17, 25-15), Glen Mills (25-15, 25-16), Haverford (25-10, 25-23) and Bethlehem Freedom (25-11, 25-20).
In the semifinals, the Indians defeated Lower Merion 2-0 (25-17, 25-19) to earn a date with the Pioneers in the title match.
“They’re very young,” Rock North coach Mike Flaherty said. “We’re very excited for them – to battle all day long to get through this is real exciting.
“Some of them were really upset with themselves, and I was telling them – that’s what helps you become a better player if they get upset with themselves, but at the same time, you can’t wear your emotions on your sleeve and showing the other team you’re frustrated.
“I’m so proud of them. I think they really learned that lesson today.”
In game one, the Indians led 3-1 after a Stevens kill, but Dock rallied to knot the score 5-5. It was the first of 11 ties in the game. The final one came at 22-22 after a Ryan Garven kill, but Dock went on to earn the 25-23 win.
Game two was a testimony to the character of this young Indian squad.
The Indians fell behind 11-9 but rallied to knot the score 13-13. They led 16-15 after a Garven block and upped that lead to two after a Sam Bryk kill. A kill by sophomore Christian Kiselica on first contact put the Indians on top 19-18, but a Rock North net serve – the second of three in a row – allowed the Pioneers to knot the score.
Dock went on top 20-19 after a Ben Richter kill, but Stevens – who earned a spot on the all-tournament team – answered with a kill to knot the score.
“Hunter is gaining more and more maturity,” Flaherty said. “The team can really see he’s capable of playing at this high level.”
Another Rock North service error put the Pioneers on top by one, but Dan Ford – who joined Stevens on the all-tournament team – delivered a tip for a winner.
“Dan Ford – as a young sophomore – was put in so many different situations,” Flaherty said. “We asked him to set and be an outside hitter, and he did a good job.”
So concerned was Flaherty about his team’s serving woes that he actually called a timeout after Ford’s winner before John Whitman stepped to the line.
“If I had been asking them to take high risk jump serves or deep floats, then I could accept the mistakes,” Flaherty said. “They saw the championship which we won last week at Avon Grove, so a part of them was like, ‘Wow, we’re starting to get good,’ but they didn’t have the ability to stay within themselves and just serve like they had been.
“All during the tournament they served really nice, and it almost became a domino effect. That’s why I called that timeout – I just couldn’t see us going down in flames. I think we made them all believers. We got them laughing a little bit and they had fun.”
The Indians led 22-21 after another Stevens kill, but yet another serving error knotted the score.
Exhaustion, according to Stevens, may have played a role in the Indians’ serving problems in the final match when they had 14 serving serrors.
“We also were rushing ourselves,” Stevens said. “We weren’t really focused, but overall we played well, especially without those players.”
The Pioneers went on to open up a 24-22 lead, but the Indians fought off back-to-back match points – both thanks to Dock hitting miscues.
Dock went on top 25-24 after an errant Rock North pass, but the Pioneers returned the favor when they were whistled for a carry, knotting the score 25-25.
The Pioneers went back on top 26-25 after a Colin Hunsberger kill, but a serving error knotted the score. The Indians won it on two more Dock hitting errors.
“That was such a nice moment to come back and win that,” Flaherty said. “At moments, they lost their confidence, but to battle back that second game shows a lot of character, and I’m really proud of their effort today.”
In game three, the Indians appeared to gain control as they opened up an 8-4 lead, but the Pioneers answered with a 6-0 run to go on top by two. The Indians would get no closer than two the rest of the way.
“Tournaments are long days, but it gets us ready for the upcoming week,” Stevens said. “We have a big week with three big games against (Council Rock) South, Pennsbury and Neshaminy.
“It should be interesting because once (the seniors) come back – everyone has more experience, and we’re all going to play at the next level.”
One of the team’s unsung heroes in Saturday’s tournament was setter John Whitman.
“He had to have done a tremendous job today to get us to the final,” Flaherty said.
The Indians will return to action on Monday night when they will host Council Rock South in a match that will see the seniors back in the lineup for both squads.
“There’s that fine line – can they get back into sync with each other because they have been away for a week,” Flaherty said. “Thank goodness we’re playing against (Council Rock) South because their seniors have been away too.”
NOTES: Stevens led the Indians with 31 kills, 12 blocks, eight digs and two aces. Ford had 21 kills, four blocks, 22 digs and seven aces. Garven had 25 kills, nine blocks and 23 digs. Christian Kiselica had 16 kills, three blocks, 17 digs and two aces. Bryk had five kills and nine blocks.
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