| Girls get destroyed in championship, end streak at 13 (12/09) | | Print | |
| Written by Natalie Luu | ||
| Wednesday, 27 January 2010 | ||
Several players on the Lincoln team may have been the best players AAA girls' volleyball has seen in years. On the Mustangs, senior outside hitter Lydia Lee earned the coveted Teresa Lee Award, given to the best all-around player in the league. Junior opposite hitter Kelly Sung also gives an edge to the Mustangs' force. A clear advantage on the Lincoln side is sophomore setter Kara Wong, who snatched a spot on the All-League First Team. Although the Mustangs' fierce offense and solid defense pressured the Cardinals, the loss also had to do with the Cardinals' flaws. Many key players had to switch positions in order to fill weak spots in the lineup, but the time taken to adapt hindered the progress of the team, according to senior defensive specialist Jessica Peng. "There wasn't enough time to adjust," Peng said. "It took too much time to really make it work." A prominent issue during the championship game was the uneven response that offset the team's determination to keep the Mustangs at bay. In the season game, the Cardinals had previewed the magnitude of Lincoln's skill so they came into the championship game intimidated, according to Peng. "We let our mistakes take over," she said. "The game did not showcase our abilities at all." Despite a crushing championship loss, the girls strongly prevailed against all the other teams in the AAA, including their second best rival, the Balboa Buccaneers. In an intense playoff game on Nov. 10, the Cardinals faced off against the vengeful Buccaneers, who had lost during the season. The match was extremely close but the Cardinals still triumphed 3-2, in a game of five long sets with scores of 25-19, 28-30, 25-22, 20-25, 15-11. Since it was the Buccaneers' last chance at a shot at championships, they brought their best game with a high energy level and both teams give it their all, according to Wasserman. "Being able to play under pressure and in a situation where the score is neck-and-neck really taught us how to win a tough game," she said. Although they did not take home the gold this season, the Cardinals plan to come back next year in their usual form as a top AAA team. The juniors are especially fired up to win their first AAA championships, hungry for a title after seeing gold slip away for three years in a row. However, this will be a challenge due to the loss of key senior players libero Crystal Lee, outside hitter Megan Lee, outside hitter Nicole Lee, Peng and Wasserman. "Since most of the seniors were starters, the junior really have to step it up next year," Peng said. "They need to be leaders, be aggressive and have confidence to fill the holes." MVP During the Cardinals' almost perfect 11-2 season, two players stood out with brimming talent and leadership -Jessica Peng and Nicole Lee. The two girls helped their fellow teammates tremendously, both mentally and physically, according to junior defensive specialist Jocelyn Kuswanto. Both having earned spots on the varsity team in their sophomore year, Peng and Lee are crucial elements to the Cardinals' play. "Jessica consistently plays well and is a really dynamic player," Wasserman said. "She works really well with everyone; she's like the glue to our team." Although Peng had switched from libero to setter and hitter this season, she transitioned well. Peng, with her energy and charisma, pumps up the entire team and gives it a winning spirit. "Nicole Lee! Nicole Lee!" went the chant every time Lee stepped off the court. Her consistent hitting is the key to the Cardinals' offense, and when the team needed Lee to rotate positions, she quickly adapted. "Nicole could play defense when she had to and hit on the opposite side," Kuswanto said. But Lee is more than just the Cardinal's lethal weapon; she is a mentor to many of the players. "She talks to us and tries to work with us about our problems," Kuswanto said. "Nicole really tries to help us improve our game." Share this article:           |
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Senior Crystal Lee digs a spike during the Championship game against the Lincoln Mustangs. (Ryan Yu) | < Prev | Next > |
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