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Volleyball loses finale, sends off seniors
By ERIC Mungenast
Staff Writer
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Eric Mungenast/Maricopa Monitor, Senior Tabatha Hoctor serves the ball during the MHS volleyball team’s final match against Tempe High School.
The game commenced the first set with coach Paul Olson inserting seniors Caitlin Snow, Victoria Brown, Tatum Early, Tabatha Hoctor and Stacey Turley into the starting lineup.
But Tempe rolled off five consecutive points to begin the set, a common theme in each set.
The team was able to get within a point, 22-21, before Tempe finished the set with three consecutive points.
Maricopa was in a funk for the entire second set, and the third set featured an intense back and forth from both sides, but Maricopa was unable seal a victory.
An inability to fend off early deficits was the main reason for the loss, which Olson said is the “next step” in the team’s development.
The game marked the final high school match for Snow, Brown, Early, Hoctor and Turley, and included a brief ceremony for the departing players.
Snow, who played volleyball for four years, said she will miss the fun she had playing for Maricopa.
“Just playing volleyball is awesome,” Snow said while fighting back tears.
Olson said this senior night was “a little bit special,” especially with Snow, Hoctor and Turley playing for him since he began coaching at the high school three years ago.
The season as a whole was special for Olson, and all five seniors have been “great leaders” throughout their time on the team.
“I almost teared up when I was talking to them,” he said.
After moving up from 3A to 4A-II, the team dominated its first game against Buckeye Youngker, but could not pull out a victory for the rest of the season, finishing 1-16.
Olson pointed out the team moved into one of the most difficult conferences for volleyball that included last year’s champion Seton Catholic.
Given the improvement in competition, Olson said he was satisfied that the team started to play at a higher level as the season progressed.
As for next year, Olson was excited for the team’s six sophomores can replace the seniors, including Julia Dickerson, Capi Teller and especially Chyenne Anderson, who had an “awesome season,” as well as junior Beth Liddel.
The next step for the team is to continue to build the program, and to step up to that next level of skill needed to compete in such a tough conference.
“I think they now understand what they’ll be facing in 4A,” he said.
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