Junior spikers flat against Eagles

If anyone was videotaping the first two sets of the Muskie junior boys’ volleyball team’s clash with the Dryden Eagles here yesterday, head coach Greg Ste. Croix probably would request that it be turned into kindling.
An uninspired first two sets put the Muskies (0-3) in too big a hole to climb out of as the visiting Eagles soared to a 3-1 victory in NorWOSSA action.
Game scores were 25-14, 25-22, 18-25, and 25-19.
“The first set, we were flat,” a disappointed Ste. Croix said. “[Dryden] can serve really well, and our passing is not where it should be. The second set, we didn’t come to play. We had something like four missed serves.
“Guys have to be thinking where they need to be on the court,” he stressed. “Most of this stuff should be natural to them at this point.”
The third set saw a more intense Muskie group take the floor, with the result being an early 7-0 lead, followed by nine-straight points against, before Fort High recovered to earn the win.
But the team’s weak passing attack proved their undoing in the fourth set, leaving Ste. Croix to issue a clear message to his troops.
“If you’re here to play volleyball, you’ll get to play,” he stressed. “If you’re not here to play, you won’t.”
The squad was without setter Ryan York, who broke his hand last week.
The juniors were to have travelled to Kenora for a tournament last weekend, but it was cancelled for unspecified reasons.
< *c>Fifth-set follies
Meanwhile, a back-and-forth battle between the senior Muskie boys and the Eagles went the distance here yesterday, but it was Dryden who exploded into an extra gear to take the best-of-five match 3-2.
Game scores were 25-10, 19-25, 25-23, 22-25, and 15-10.
“We played our best match of the year so far,” said Muskie player Matt Love. “Our blocking was much better today, but our serving needs to be more consistent.”
The Muskies (0-3) appeared to have momentum on their side after their fourth-set victory, but quickly fell behind 9-2 in the fifth and couldn’t recover.
“We went out for the fifth fired up, but it was like we were dead out there,” remarked Love. “We had some tough breaks, but you have to get to the point where you just shake it off and play.”
Both teams will try to get one in the win column tomorrow (Thursday) when they head to Kenora to meet the Broncos.