Newport’s Sam Moore tries for a kill with Cottage Grove’s Lia Davey defending during the quarterfinal match for the Cubs’ at Lane Community College on Friday. Moore unofficially had three kills and one ace. (Photo by Jake Schubert)

Cubs squad goes above and beyond their goals in a successful season



Although the Newport volleyball team didn’t win at Lane Community College on Friday against Cottage Grove in the quarterfinals or against Henley on Saturday in the consolation semifinals, the team still met its goals this season.

The Cubs talked about making it to Lane as one of three main goals along with winning the Val-Co League title and defeating Central before playing their first match of the season. The team accomplished all three goals.

“The important thing is that the end result was great,” Newport Coach Shelley Moore said. “We finished 7th in the state - two spots higher than we were ranked all year, and the highest since 1995.”

The Cubs fell to Cottage Grove, 25-16, 25-21, 25-21, on Friday, and to Henley, 25-6, 25-20, 25-18, on Saturday. Cottage Grove finished third, Henley fourth.

The Cubs struck first in game one against Cottage Grove with a kill by Sam Moore, but the Lions answered with nine straight, including a pair of aces by Dani Nowak, a kill and a block by Brooke Rich, as well as a kill by Lia Davey.

Newport pulled within three at 11-8 after scoring four straight points, with a kill and ace from Moore and a block by Ciera Beckwith.

The Cubs had their moments later in game one, with back-to-back kills from Beckwith and Chandler Hockema to pull within four, and kills from Laura Luther and Megan Urbach later, along with an ace from Mandi Gates. But in the end the Lions had too much offense, collecting eight kills in their last 11 points.

Newport led 5-2 in game two with Luther and Urbach each picking up an early kill and Karen Seifert serving an ace.

Cottage Grove scored the next three on a block by Davey, a kill by Erin Nowak, and an ace from Rich.

The Cubs regained the lead, surging ahead, 12-8, after four straight points - a Luther kill, a Gates ace, a Silken Kennedy kill, and another Luther kill. The Lions answered with 11 of the next 15 points, including a kill and block by Rich. Davey added a kill.

Newport tied the score at 20-all, winning four of the next five points, including a Beckwith kill. But a service error gave Cottage Grove a one-point lead that the Lions extended for the 25-21 win. Rich picked up a kill for the game-winner.

The Cubs jumped ahead 5-0 in game three as Luther served three aces. Following a kill by Rich for the Lions, Moore got a kill for Newport and the Cubs picked up a point on a net violation for a 7-1 lead.

The Lions came alive with a tandem block from Rich and Davey - two of Cottage Grove’s six seniors - and went on to a 16-13 lead. Davey had a kill and an ace during the stretch, Erin Nowak added a pair of kills, Dorian Perkey had two aces and a kill, and Rich added one kill. Newport had a kill from Beckwith and an ace from Luther.

The Cubs stayed close with Urbach picking up a kill, and Luther had two, the first making the score 20-17, and the second 22-19. Newport picked up the next point on a Lions’ error, pulling within two, but couldn’t get over the hump.

Cottage Grove scored three of the next four and won 25-21.

The Lions’ serving hurt Newport throughout the match.

“They were aggressive serves that went to key places; places where we weren’t passing well,” Moore said. “They were also deep enough that it forced kids who already weren’t passing well to have to make a decision about whether the ball was in or out also.”

The coach said other than the first game of the Henley match when the Cubs fell 25-6, the two matches were about the game.

“We just had no serve receive, end of story,” she said. “Ya don’t pass, ya don’t win.”



Planning for success



The team made a trip to Lane for practice in August to familiarize itself with the setting.

“We planned on it all year,” Moore said. “We had the goal of starting and ending our season there, and we did that. Our kids walked right across the parking lot, right up the stairs into the gym and into the stands. There were no mysteries about where to go.”

Despite the familiarity with the setting, nerves and strong opponents were factors in Newport’s losses. The team loses only one senior - Gates - and looks to have a good chance at returning to Lane next season.

“Now we not only know the geography of Lane C.C., but we know the experience and atmosphere, too,” Moore said. “We won’t play nervous like we did as a group next year, because it will be familiar to us. You can’t coach that; playoff experience.”

The experience of going to the quarterfinals and returning with much of the team intact will act as a springboard into the season, “All are coming back but one, and a competitive group of younger players is moving in and up as well,” Moore said.



Jake Schubert is the sports reporter for the News-Times. He can be reached at 265-8571 ext. 221, or sports@newportnewstimes.com.



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