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By Owen Gotimer
Heritage High School student journalist
Leesburg (Sept. 24, 2010) - Heritage High School, which suffered its first loss of the season on Tuesday against Fairfax, bounced back Thursday with a win in four games over Oakton, 25-23, 25-7, 25-27, 25-22.
Following a tough loss Tuesday night in five, the Pride (4-1 overall) came out strong Thursday in a non-district match against Oakton High School.
Game one was close with the biggest lead of the game 14-10 Heritage and the Pride came out on top, 25-23.
Momentum was won early again in game two as the Pride took a commanding 6-0 lead to start off. Oakton simply couldn't handle the hard-hitting Pride which included Lian Bernett (16 Kills, 2 blocks, 11 digs, 11 points - 1 ace), Sydney Busa (5 kills, 2 blocks, 11 digs, 10 points - 2 aces), Madeline Fowler (7 kills, 1 block, 14 digs, 2 points), Kelsey Hrebenach (10 kills, 1 block, 3 digs, 10 points - 4 aces) and Christina Kamis (7 kills, 8 digs, 4 points).
It was the best game Heritage has played all season as they cruised to 25-7 win.
Oakton suffered another 5-point deficit early in the third game, but the Cougars didn't give up. Late in the game Heritage had match point at 24-22, and looked to wrap up a 3-game sweep. The Cougars, however, finally answered Heritage's defense, with three consecutive tip shots. Oakton won game three 27-25.
Heritage's coach Carmel Kielty rallied her team together before going into game four. She told the girls to get this next game done and to play like they did in game two. The Pride took her advice and lead for all but four points in the fourth and final game, ending the match with a 25-22 win.
Stephanie Yokoyama finished with 38 assists for Heritage and had two kills, 15 digs and scored 13 points on service including five aces. Also defensively for the Pride were Dariel Montanez (7 digs) and Rachel Runyan (10 digs).
Heritage has two more non-district games this Saturday as they travel to Robinson to face the host Rams and Langley, before they take on Osbourn in their first Cedar Run District contest next week.
Kamis, one of Heritage's starting outside hitters, believed that the win against Oakton helped identify holes in the team and also recognized what they have to work on before the Osbourn game.
Both Kamis and fellow starter Kelsey Hrebenach agreed that Heritage's biggest district competition is going to be local rival and defending AAA state champion Loudoun Valley.
While defeating the reigning state champs is going to be tough for the Pride, Hrebenach and Kamis established that they have a shot at bringing home the first AAA district championship in Heritage sports history.
The Pride's Cedar Run District bid starts next Tuesday, Sept. 28th at 7 p.m., as Heritage takes on Osbourn at home.
Calling all student journalists in Loudoun: VivaLoudoun wants to feature your work to our fast-growing audience that should reach two million page views this school year. Please contact VivaLoudoun editor Dan Sousa (dan.sousa@vivaloudoun.com) if you are interested or call him at 703.509.8826.
Friday, September 24, 2010
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Awsome job Owen! Now thats the kind of detail that would be great to read about all the matches (for all schools). We know Dan can't do it all! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI agree 100 percent! It would be awesome to have reporters gathering the details like this at each school ... there are so many great games to cover in Loudoun with 12 high schools and incredible athletes and coaches
ReplyDeleteGreat job, Owen—all the way from Los Angeles! Your writing is detailed and concise, but you also spice it up with clever verbs! :) Keep up the good work.
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