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The Gathering Place Written on: 02 Mar 2010 -- Written by: Kim Mountain -- 0 comment(s) Silver Lightning seniors lead the way in season-ending win Written on: 23 Oct 2009 -- Written by: Kim Mountain -- 0 comment(s) Senior players Maggie Fikes, Alissa Leer and Hannah Whyde saved some of their best for last. And, in so doing, they led the Indy Silver Lightning to a season-ending varsity team win. Fikes smashed six kills and added two blocks, Leer set up teammates for a match-high 11 assists and Whyde posted a half dozen digs, as the Silver Lightning defeated the Northeastern Lady Tigers 25-18, 25-10, 25-24 in Noblesville Oct. 20. "This was a fitting way for our seniors to go out," said Indy coach Kim Mountain. "They were truly the leaders on the court tonight, which is what you would expect from your seniors." Fikes, Leer and Whyde had plenty of help from their underclassmen teammates. Emma Surface recorded 10 service aces, Kristen Mitchell had seven kills, Debra MacLean collected eight digs, and Melia Awana and Cally Owen had six kills between them. But it was the graduating trio that set the tone in their final Silver Lightning match. Three kills and a pair of service aces by Fikes helped the Silver Lightning race out to a 21-13 game one lead. Leer and Whyde combined to assist on six Indy points in that game. Emma Surface took matters in her hands in game two. After the Silver Lightning earned the side out to trim the Northeastern lead to 3-1, Surface served 11 straight points -- seven of those on aces -- to put Indy ahead 12-3. The Silver Lightning continued to keep the pressure on, not allowing the Tigers to cut the margin under eight points the rest of the way, en route to a relatively easy 15-point win. "At that point I thought Northeastern would fold, but they didn't," Mountain said. Indeed, the Tigers did not. Northeastern broke open a 4-4 game three tie with seven consecutive points to grab an 11-4 advantage. A few side outs later the Tigers stretched their lead to 15-7. Then lightning struck again. Or, rather, Silver Lightning libero Debra MacLean. Northeastern struggled to handle MacLean's serves, committing several return errors. Meanwhile, Leer set Whyde and Mitchell for a handful of kills. When the smoke cleared, Indy had pulled even 15-15. After the two teams traded points to make the score 16-all, Surface went back to work. She served six points in a row to advance the Silver Lightning to 22-16. The Tigers weren't done. With Indy a point away from winning the match at 24-21, Northeastern scored the next two points. The ensuing Northeastern serve found its way to Leer, who set Cally Owen at the net. Owen crushed a winner, giving the Silver Lightning the victory. Mountain said he was pleased with how his team fought back from an eight-point third game deficit. "I thought our effort was good all night," he said. "This was a nice way to wrap up our season. I'm especially happy that Maggie, Hannah and Alissa could end their high school volleyball careers on a high note." With the win, the Silver Lightning finished the 2009 regular season at 7-7. Earlier in the evening, the Silver Lightning junior high team won and junior varsity team lost to the Tigers. Silver Lightning def. Northeastern Lady Tigers 25-18, 25-10, 25-24 Kills: Kristen Mitchell 7, Maggie Fikes 6, Melia Awana 3, Cally Owen 3, Hannah Whyde 3, Emma Surface 2. Assists: Alissa Leer 11, Whyde 5, Awana 1, Mitchell 1, Surface 1. Digs: Debra MacLean 8, Surface 6, Whyde 6, Fikes 5, Mitchell 5, Leer 2, Owen 2, Awana 1. Blocks: Fikes 2. Aces: Surface 10, Fikes 3, MacLean 1, Mitchell 1. Silver Lightning final regular season record: 7-7 Indy gets off on right foot, makes good showing in Midwest tourney Written on: 20 Oct 2009 -- Written by: Kim Mountain -- 0 comment(s) What a difference a week makes. Seven days after they got off on the wrong foot at the state homeschool tournament and never recovered, the Indy Silver Lightning varsity got a leg up in their first match and were competitive all day in the Midwest Volleyball Tournament. Indy finished tied for third in the tourney, played Oct. 17 at Fort Wayne. The Silver Lightning won their first pool contest and gave the eventual champion Huntington Eagles all they could handle in the tournament round. Indy coach Kim Mountain said his team's performance was an improvement from the state tournament. "We were much better, and it showed in that we were in every game we played," he said. The Silver Lightning played three two-game pool matches, which determined their tournament round seeding. Fueled by four early Maggie Fikes kills and eight overall, the Silver Lightning won their opening pool match against the Dayton Golden Angels 25-20, 25-24. In the second pool match, Indy built a 15-10 first game lead over the Fort Wayne Angels but could not close the deal. The Angels won that game 25-22 and ran out to an 8-0 game two lead, en route to a 25-12 win. The Fort Wayne Falcons were Indy's final pool round opponent. A 10-point run by the Falcons broke open a close game one, as Fort Wayne cruised to a 25-11 win. Three Hannah Whyde service aces gave the Silver Lightning a 15-8 game two lead. The Falcons rallied to tie the game at 18 apiece. The game was tied three more times, the last as 22-22, before Fort Wayne scored the final three points to seal the win, 25-22. In pool play the Silver Lightning collected 33 kills, with Fikes recording a team-high 15. Whyde had six of Indy's 14 assists and seven of its 18 service aces. Alissa Leer registered 15 of the 70 Silver Lightning digs, while Fikes and Cally Owen each had a block. By winning two games and scoring 117 points in pool play, Indy earned a third seed in the single-elimination, best of three games tournament round. They faced No. 2 seed Huntington, which won the previous week's state tournament. A series of Huntington service errors, coupled with a strong Silver Lightning defense and attack, combined to give Indy a 15-13 game one lead. Three more times Indy claimed a two-point lead – 17-15, 20-18 and 22-20 – but on each occasion the Eagles scored twice to tie the score. Huntington surged ahead 23-22, and Indy scored to knot the game at 23. The ensuing Silver Lightning serve was out, giving the Eagles the side out and the serve for game point. Huntington escaped with a 25-23 win when Indy committed a hitting error. Game two was close at the beginning. Leading 10-9, Huntington embarked on a seven-point run to race out to a 17-9 advantage. Indy whittled the deficit to five points at 20-15 but could get no closer, as the Eagles went on to win 25-16. Statistically, Fikes and Kristen Mitchell paced the Silver Lightning with three kill apiece. Whyde and Emma Surface each dished out a pair of assists. Mitchell's eight digs were tops for Indy, and Whyde recorded the lone Silver Lightning block. Although Huntington swept the two games, the Eagles totaled one more error than Indy – 30 to 29. Indy's junior varsity team reached the championship match of their division, but lost in two games to the Fort Wayne Falcons. The Silver Lightning close out the 2009 season with an Oct. 20 trip to Noblesville to play the Northeastern Lady Tigers. The junior high match begins at 5:30 p.m., with junior varsity and varsity matches following. Huntington def. Silver Lightning 25-23, 25-16 Kills: Maggie Fikes 3, Kristen Mitchell 3, Emma Surface 2, Cally Owen 1, Hannah Whyde 1. Assists: Surface 2, Whyde 2, Fikes 1. Digs: Mitchell 8, Alissa Leer 6, Debra MacLean 6, Owen 6, Whyde 6, Fikes 3, Surface 2. Blocks: Whyde 1. Aces: None. Pool Play Silver Lightning defeated Dayton Golden Eagles 25-20, 25-24; lost to Fort Wayne Angels 25-22, 25-12; lost to Fort Wayne Falcons 25-11, 25-22 Individual total statistics: Kills: Maggie Fikes 15, Hannah Whyde 7, Kristen Mitchell 4, Cally Owen 3, Emma Surface 3, Alissa Leer 1. Assists: Whyde 6, Fikes 2, Leer 2, Mitchell 2, Surface 2. Digs: Leer 15, Whyde 12, Surface 11, Fikes 9, Mitchell 9, Debra MacLean 8, Owen 7. Blocks: Fikes 1, Owen 1. Aces: Whyde 7, Fikes 4, Leer 2, Mitchell 2, MacLean 1, Owen 1, Surface 1. Poor start leads to disappointing ending at state tournament Written on: 11 Oct 2009 -- Written by: Kim Mountain -- 0 comment(s) Sometimes it doesn't pay to get out of bed, or even step onto the volleyball court. The Indy Silver Lightning varsity team had one of those days at the Indiana State Homeschool Volleyball Tournament on Oct. 10 in Fort Wayne. Indy lost all five single-game matches in the pool play seeding round, and then fell in two straight games to the MCAC Wildcats in the tournament round. Indy's play was mediocre from beginning to end. In seven total games, the Silver Lightning managed just 23 kills and six service aces, compared to 78 errors and 13 service mistakes. In every game the Silver Lightning gave up a scoring run of seven points or more. Indy's largest lead in any game was four points. "Our passing and hitting were off all day," said Indy assistant coach Dan Mitchell after the Silver Lightning's tournament run was over. "Although we were missing one of our top hitters, I don't think having her here would have changed things that much." Indy played five 21-point pool games, which determined tournament round seeding. The first pool game against the Cornerstone Warriors began badly, as the Warriors built an 8-0 lead against the shell-shocked Silver Lightning. Indy got no closer than seven points the rest of the way, losing 21-10. That game was a harbinger of things to come. An 8-5 Silver Lighting lead against the Lady Crusaders of Plymouth evaporated when the Crusaders scored seven straight points and cruised to a 21-10 win. The Silver Lightning next faced the Huntington Eagles in pool play. Indy was no match for the bigger, more talented Eagles, as Huntington rolled 21-9. Indy showed a little life in its next pool game. The Silver Lightning trailed the Wabash Valley Warriors 19-10 before scoring seven of the next eight points to pull to within 20-17. The Warriors then scored to secure the win. In its final pool game the Fort Wayne Angels parlayed a seven-point run into a 21-12 victory. In pool play the Silver Lightning recorded 18 kills, with Hannah Whyde posting a team-high seven. Emma Surface dished out six of Indy's 12 assists, Alissa Leer had 15 of the team's 68 digs, Melia Awana served two of the Silver Lightning's four aces and Cally Owen had the lone block. Its pool play performance earned the Silver Lightning a sixth seed in the single-elimination, best of three games tournament round. The opponent was the third-seeded MCAC Wildcats of Mishawaka. Leading 5-2 in game one, the Wildcats ripped off eight straight points to take a 13-2 advantage. Six times the Silver Lighting won the side out, only to give it right back. The game ended in a 25-8 MCAC win. Two straight Owen aces and another Indy point put the Silver Lightning in front 4-1 in game two. Indy extended its lead to 7-3 -- its largest advantage of the day -- before it all went south. MCAC rallied to take an 8-7 lead, and Indy scored to tie. A subsequent Silver Lightning service error handed the lead back to the Warriors, who then proceeded to serve 16 straight points to close out the game, and match. In the two-game match, the Silver Lightning committed 30 total errors to MCAC's nine. Indy's statistical leaders included Whyde's three kills and one block, an assist apiece for Leer and Surface, Surface's eight digs and Owen's two aces. The Silver Lightning will need to put their tournament disappointment behind them on Oct. 13, when they travel to Horizon Christian School in Indianapolis. The first match begins at 6:15 p.m. MCAC Wildcats def. Silver Lightning 25-8, 25-9 Kills: Hannah Whyde 3, Cally Owen 2. Assists: Alissa Leer 1, Emma Surface 1. Digs: Surface 8, Melia Awana 6, Debra MacLean 6, Leer 5, Kristen Mitchell 4, Whyde 3, Owen 1. Blocks: Whyde 1. Aces: Owen 2.
Pool Play Silver Lightning lost to Cornerstone, 21-10; lost to Lady Crusaders 21-10; lost to Huntington 21-9; lost to Wabash Valley 21-17; lost to Fort Wayne Angels 21-12 Individual total statistics: Kills: Hannah Whyde 7, Kristen Mitchell 4, Cally Owen 4, Alissa Leer 2, Emma Surface 1. Assists: Surface 6, Leer 4, Melia Awana 1, Owen 1. Digs: Leer 15, Whyde 13, Awana 11, Debra MacLean 11, Mitchell 10, Surface 7, Owen 1. Blocks: Owen 1. Aces:Awana 2, Surface 1, Whyde 1. Senior moment: Graduating players honored at final home match Written on: 07 Oct 2009 -- Written by: Kim Mountain -- 0 comment(s) A special ceremony to recognize the Indy Silver Lightning's graduating seniors was the high mark during an evening when Indy's play on the court was less than special. Seniors Alea Bowling, Maggie Fikes, Alissa Leer, Reba Massey and Hannah Whyde, and their parents, were honored in an Oct. 5 ceremony preceding Indy’s final varsity home match of the 2009 season. The Silver Lightning lost to Tabernacle Christian School 25-11, 25-15, 25-23. The loss evened Indy's regular season record at 6-6. The six seniors (Janita Nunn was ill and did not attend) were remembered for their contributions to the team. Each provided personal memories and a favorite Bible verse. "These girls have meant a lot to the Indy Silver Lightning, and I appreciate their hard work and effort," coach Kim Mountain said. "We will miss them when the season is over." The seniors in attendance started the first game against Tabernacle. Indy jumped out to a 2-0 lead and was up 10-9 on the second of Whyde's two service aces, when the bottom fell out. Two straight in the net calls against the Silver Lightning, a Tabernacle kill and ace gave the Eagles a 15-10 advantage. A Leer kill trimmed the Tabernacle lead to four points, but the Eagles scored the game's final 10 points. A traditional Silver Lightning starting lineup began game two -- a game Indy never led. The Eagles grabbed a 3-0 lead and, except for two early ties, were firmly in control. A 10-8 Tabernacle lead ballooned to 21-13 after a series of Silver Lightning hitting errors. Indy could get no closer than 21-15. Game three was the most competitive of the trio. Indy rallied from a 16-10 deficit with four straight points -- the last on a powerful Whyde spike -- to slice the margin to 16-15. The two teams traded points until Cally Owen's block/kill drew the Silver Lightning even at 18-18. A Tabernacle mistake gave Indy a 19-18 lead, but a Tabernacle kill and three straight Silver Lightning errors pushed the Eagles in front, 22-19. A Tabernacle error after a Leer serve knotted the game for the final time, at 23-23. The Eagles scored and then picked up the match-winning point on the ensuing serve, when the ball hit the top of the net, crawled over and found the floor on Indy's side. It was the fifth such point on a serve by Tabernacle in the match. For the match, Indy recorded 15 kills, led by Fikes' five; six assists (Leer three); 27 digs (Leer eight); three aces (Whyde two) and five blocks (all by Owen). The Silver Lightning hurt themselves with 41 total errors, including 10 service mistakes. Indy's junior varsity team also lost to Tabernacle. The Silver Lightning travel to Fort Wayne for the state homeschool volleyball tournament Oct. 9-10. The junior high and junior varsity tournament takes place Oct. 9, with the varsity tourney Oct. 10. Match times are yet to be announced. Tabernacle Christian def. Silver Lightning 25-11, 25-15, 25-23 Kills: Maggie Fikes 5, Cally Owen 4, Hannah Whyde 4, Melia Awana 1, Alissa Leer 1. Assists: Leer 3, Awana 1, Fikes 1, Whyde 1. Digs: Leer 8, Emma Surface 6, Fikes 4, Whyde 4, Debra MacLean 3, Awana 1, Reba Massey 1, Kristen Mitchell 1. Blocks: Owen 5. Aces: Whyde 2, Awana 1. Silver Lightning regular season record: 6-6 Silver Lightning reach deep in thrilling win Written on: 03 Oct 2009 -- Written by: Kim Mountain -- 0 comment(s) Fans hardly could have asked more from a volleyball match than the Oct. 2 battle between the Indy Silver Lightning and Columbus Inferno. Just don't say that to Silver Lightning coach Kim Mountain. "I don't want exciting. I want a nice boring, comfortable win," Mountain said with a smile, after Indy's varsity team vanquished the visiting Inferno in five games, 23-25, 25-17, 16-25, 25-21, 16-14. Mountain could afford a grin, given his team's gutsy performance. Strong hitting, stingy defense and timely service aces helped the Silver Lightning overcome a 5-0 game four deficit to send the match to a deciding game, and then rally from a 10-2 hole in the 15-point fifth game. The victory was Indy's second straight following a win over the Anderson Angels, and boosted the Silver Lightning's regular season record to 6-5. Six successive Silver Lightning errors in game one turned an Indy 13-7 lead into a 13-13 score. The Inferno moved ahead 19-17 before Indy regained the advantage at 22-20. Columbus closed with a 5-1 run to claim the game. Games two and three were near carbon copies, with each team winning one. Indy struck first. Down 8-6, the Silver Lightning scored six straight points to establish a lead it would not relinquish. Alissa Leer and Maggie Fikes both served five consecutive points, while the set-kill combination of Melia Awana and Fikes added another three points. Silver Lightning momentum continued in game three, with Indy building a 6-3 advantage. Columbus responded with seven points in a row to grab a 10-6 lead. The Silver Lightning pulled to within 12-11 but then gave up six of the next seven points, to fall behind 18-12. Indy could get no closer than four points the rest of the way. In a must-win game four, Indy had to reach deep and survive a late rally by the Inferno. Trailing 5-0, the Silver Lightning rode the hot hand of Cally Owen, whose three service aces fueled an eight-point outburst and an 8-5 Indy lead. The Silver Lighting advantage remained between two and seven points, with Columbus unable to draw even. That set up the tiebreaking game five. The Inferno exploded for seven consecutive points and a commanding 10-2 advantage. Indy clawed back to 11-6, when Awana stepped behind the service line. Awana nailed three aces while Columbus committed costly errors. By the time the Inferno managed to get the side out, Indy was holding a 14-12 lead. Columbus scored two points in a row to knot the game at 14-14. The tying point came on a well-played ball off the ceiling. An Inferno error gave the Silver Lightning a 15-14 lead, with Indy needing a point to win the match. Debra MacLean's serve was returned and found its way to Owen, who set the ball. Leer hit the leather sphere back over the net, where two Inferno players managed to get just a piece, deflecting it out of bounds for the deciding Indy point. The Silver Lightning recorded 37 kills, 26 assists, 45 digs and 18 service aces. Each of those statistical categories featured an individual season high: kills (Fikes 15), assists (Awana 15), digs (Leer 17), and aces (Awana six). The Silver Lightning junior varsity team also defeated Columbus. Indy's home finale takes place Oct. 5 when it hosts Tabernacle Christian School at Capital Sports Center. The Silver Lightning will honor its graduating seniors in a ceremony during the evening, which begins with a 5:30 p.m. junior varsity match. Silver Lightning def. Columbus Inferno 23-25, 25-17, 16-25, 25-21, 16-14 Kills: Maggie Fikes 15, Hannah Whyde 8, Alissa Leer 5, Kristen Mitchell 5, Melia Awana 2, Debra MacLean 1, Cally Owen 1. Assists: Awana 15, Owen 6, Whyde 3, Fikes 1, Mitchell 1. Digs: Leer 17, MacLean 8, Mitchell 7, Awana 5, Owen 5, Fikes 2, Whyde 1. Blocks: (None). Aces: Awana 6, Owen 5, Fikes 3, Mitchell 3, Leer 1. Silver Lightning regular season record:6-5 Silver Lightning put on the defensive in loss Written on: 21 Sep 2009 -- Written by: Kim Mountain -- 0 comment(s) If the best defense is a good offense, then it should come as no surprise that the Indy Silver Lightning varsity had a tough night at Martinsville's Tabernacle Christian School on Sept. 21. With just six kills and two assists, the Silver Lightning could not generate enough of an attack to give itself a chance to win. Indy fell to the Eagles in straight games 25-18, 25-9, 25-15. The Silver Lightning spent almost the entire match reacting to Tabernacle's aggressive offense and strong net play, as evidenced by Indy's season-high 35 digs. It was especially disappointing because the Silver Lightning significantly reduced its error count from recent matches. Coming off a loss where they committed 68 total errors, Indy recorded only 43 miscues. The match began promisingly enough for the Silver Lightning. A close game one swung Indy's way 14-13 when the Silver Lightning scored four straight points. After a side out that tied the score, the Eagles served an ace and three more points to build an 18-14 lead. Indy got as close as 21-18 but could not get over the hump. Game two was competitive early, then got out of hand. A 7-7 score soon became a 13-7 Tabernacle lead. The Silver Lightning served twice the rest of the game, as the Eagles finished with a 12-2 run, despite a valiant defensive effort by Indy. In the game the Silver Lightning picked up a dozen digs, many point-saving plays. Indy was on its heels nearly the entire third game. Tabernacle followed a bad Silver Lightning serve with four consecutive points to claim an 8-2 advantage. The Eagles kept up the offensive charge and slowly extended its lead to 12-4, and then eventually to the final 10-point margin. Indy again was reduced to defending, as it posted 15 more digs. Every Indy player collected at least two digs, with Kristen Mitchell's eight leading the way. Maggie Fikes had a team-high five kills and three blocks, Melia Awana and Alissa Leer had the Indy assists, and Fikes and Hannah Whyde served aces. The loss was Indy's second in a row and fourth defeat in its last five matches. The Silver Lightning junior varsity team also fell to the Eagles. Indy travels to Anderson on Sept. 25 to face the Anderson Angels. Tabernacle Christian def. Silver Lightning 25-18, 25-9, 25-15 Kills: Maggie Fikes 5, Alissa Leer 1. Assists: Melia Awana 1, Leer 1. Digs: Kristen Mitchell 8, Debra MacLean 7, Leer 5, Awana 4, Hannah Whyde 4, Cally Owen 3, Fikes 2, Emma Surface 2. Blocks: Fikes 3, Leer 1. Aces: Fikes 1, Whyde 1. Silver Lightning regular season record:4-5 Been there, done that: Mistakes spell defeat for Silver Lightning Written on: 20 Sep 2009 -- Written by: Kim Mountain -- 0 comment(s) It's only September, but the Indy Silver Lightning is already showing re-runs. For the second time in three matches, the Silver Lightning shot themselves in the feet with mistake after mistake, en route to a disappointing four-game loss. This time Wabash Valley was the recipient of Indy's generosity, by a score of 25-16, 25-18, 14-25, 25-19. The match was played Sept. 19 at Terre Haute. Indy committed 68 total errors, including 11 bad serves and 57 miscues of all types in serve/receive, passing, hitting and defense. The Warriors needed only 17 kills and four service aces of its own to secure the victory. Silver Lightning coach Kim Mountain could only shake his head afterward when given the error total. "Wow, that's a lot of mistakes," he said. "You don't give yourself a chance to win doing that." As poorly as the Silver Lightning played, they still had opportunities to take control of the match. After falling behind 20-8 in game one, Indy scored six of the next seven points to slice the Wabash Valley lead to 21-14. The two teams traded points the rest of the way, to give the Warriors the opening game win. The Warriors grabbed an 8-2 advantage in game two before Maggie Fikes served the Silver Lightning back to an 8-7 deficit. Indy's momentum was short-lived, however, as Wabash Valley went on a 14-3 run -- aided by Silver Lightning errors -- to take a game-deciding 22-10 lead. In those first two games, Indy committed 40 total errors to Wabash Valley's 23. The Warriors had 38 total errors for the match. Playing with a greater sense of urgency, the Silver Lightning dominated game three. Indy claimed a 3-0 lead and never trailed. Hannah Whyde took the ball with a 15-12 Silver Lightning lead and served four straight points to stretch the margin to 19-12. The Warriors never recovered. Indy appeared poised to duplicate the game three effort in game four. Alissa Leer's service ace gave the Silver Lightning a 10-6 lead. However, Wabash Valley responded with five straight service points three side outs later to build its own four-point lead, 15-11. The game went back and forth but Indy was unable to get any closer than three points. The Silver Lighting were hurt by two service errors at critical points in the game's late stages. On the positive side, the Silver Lightning had 28 kills, led by Kristen Mitchell's nine. Leer dished out eight of Indy's 21 assists and Debra MacLean collected eight of the team's 27 digs. Whyde served three of Indy's six aces, and Fikes and Cally Owen each had a block. The loss evened the Silver Lighting regular season record at 4-4. Indy travels to Martinsville on Sept. 21 to face Tabernacle Christian School. Wabash Valley def. Silver Lightning 25-16, 25-18, 14-25, 25-19 Kills: Kristen Mitchell 9, Maggie Fikes 7, Hannah Whyde 5, Melia Awana 3, Cally Owen 3, Alissa Leer 1. Assists: Leer 8, Emma Surface 7, Fikes 2, Owen 2, Whyde 2. Digs: Debra MacLean 8, Mitchell 7, Leer 4, Whyde 3, Owen 2, Awana 1, Fikes 1, Surface 1. Blocks: Fikes 1, Owen 1. Aces: Whyde 3, Awana 2, Leer 1. Silver Lightning regular season record: 4-4 Tastes great: Silver Lightning savor big win Written on: 18 Sep 2009 -- Written by: Kim Mountain -- 0 comment(s) A win is the best way to remove the bad taste of two straight defeats. For the Indy Silver Lightning varsity, a three-game victory at Traders Point Christian Academy on Sept. 18 was a welcome entrée. Improved serving, fewer offensive and defensive errors, and a consistent effort throughout produced a 25-12, 25-16, 25-11 win over the Golden Eagles. The victory boosted Indy's regular season record to 4-3. After coming off a loss in which they buried themselves with 21 service errors and a multitude of other miscues, the Silver Lightning limited their bad serves to seven and miscellaneous errors to a tolerable 18. The Golden Eagles, on the other hand, committed 33 errors. Nine service points by Hannah Whyde -- including three aces -- paced Indy in game one. Powered by Whyde's golden arm, the Silver Lightning ran out to a 12-2 lead and were never seriously challenged. The Silver Lightning didn't ease up in games two and three. Debra MacLean served five consecutive points to help Indy break open a close second game and give the Silver Lightning a 15-11 advantage. Traders Point struggled to handle MacLean's laser-like serves, misplaying the ball four times. After a side out, Emma Surface provided an encore, rocketing five successive service points of her own. When the smoke had cleared, Indy owned an insurmountable 21-14 lead. Indy built a 9-1 margin in game three, and saw the lead grow as high as 15 points, at 20-5. In the match's final two games the Silver Lightning recorded 13 of their 17 kills, with Maggie Fikes claiming five of her team-leading six. On the evening, Indy tallied 10 assists (Alissa Leer five), nine digs (Fikes four), three blocks (Fikes two) and nine service aces (Whyde five). The Silver Lightning junior high team defeated the Golden Eagles 2-0. Indy's varsity team travels to Terre Haute on Sept. 19 to face the Wabash Valley Warriors. Silver Lightning def. Traders Point Christian Academy 25-12, 25-16, 25-11 Kills: Maggie Fikes 6, Kristen Mitchell 3, Hannah Whyde 3, Malia Awana 2, Cally Owen 2, Alissa Leer 1. Assists: Leer 5, Emma Surface 4, Fikes 1. Digs: Fikes 4, Whyde 2, Leer 1, Debra MacLean 1, Owen 1. Blocks: Fikes 2, Mitchell 1. Aces: Whyde 5, Surface 3, MacLean 1. Silver Lightning regular season record: 4-3 Silver Lightning their own worst enemies in defeat
Written on: 16 Sep 2009 -- Written by: Kim Mountain -- 0 comment(s) You've got to hand it to Indy Silver Lightning coach Kim Mountain. After watching his team play arguably its poorest match of the season, he found a positive. Sort of. "Well, it was certainly a total team effort," Mountain said with a bemused smile, moments after the Silver Lightning imploded in a four-game loss at Suburban Christian School on Sept. 15. "If we play like this the rest of the season we're going to have a hard time beating anyone." The Crusaders won the varsity match 23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-23, and received plenty of help from the team wearing lightning bolts. From court positioning to defense to serving to passing to hitting, and about everything in between, the Silver Lightning struggled all night. Indy's statistics speak for themselves: * 21 bad serves -- nearly a full game given away behind the service line. Two of those serving errors were the 25th points for Suburban, including the match's final point. * 3 service aces, among the lowest total in a single match this season. * Giving up leads of 15-11 in game two, 15-8 in game three and 7-0 in game four. All three games resulted in Indy losses. * A plethora of unforced errors. The match began on a hopeful note. With Indy holding a 9-5 lead in game one, Debra MacLean served six straight points, including two aces, to push the Silver Lightning advantage to 15-5. Indy led 20-9 when Suburban went on a 14-3 run, fueled by a spate of Silver Lightning miscues, to trail 24-23. Indy scored to escape with a two-point win, but the Silver Lightning's troubles were just beginning. Games two and three were almost carbon copies. The Silver Lightning grabbed a 15-11 lead in game two, then gave up five of the next six points to see the score tied at 16. Indy’s last lead was 20-19, as Suburban closed the game with a 6-2 spurt. The Silver Lightning built a seven-point lead in game three at 15-8, only to watch the Crusaders capitalize on Indy mistakes and knot the game at 16-16. Indy came within three points of taking the game at 22-20, but could score only one point the rest of the way. A service error by the Silver Lightning gave Suburban its game-winning point. A 7-0 Silver Lightning advantage in game four evaporated four side outs later, when the Crusaders evened the score at 9-9. Suburban scored four more points in a row to pull ahead 13-9. Despite a late four-point rally on Maggie Fikes serves, the Silver Lightning was only able to tie the game at 22-22. Three points later an Indy serve sailed wide, handing Suburban the match victory. Not all the news was bad. The Silver Lightning recorded a respectable 19 kills, with Fikes picking up a team-leading nine. Alissa Leer tallied six of the team's 10 assists and six of its 18 digs. MacLean and Kristen Mitchell served two aces each and Cally Owen had Indy's lone block. Ironically, the Silver Lightning had two more service aces than Suburban's three, but the Crusaders committed only seven service errors. The loss was Indy's second straight and evened the Silver Lightning regular season record at 3-3. In the junior high match, the Silver Lighting defeated Suburban 2-0. Indy travels to Traders Point Christian School in Indianapolis for three matches on Sept. 18. An elementary match begins at 4:30 p.m., with junior high and junior varsity/varsity matches following. The following day, Indy journeys to Brazil, Ind., for a varsity match against Wabash Valley. Suburban Christian def. Silver Lightning 23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-23 Kills: Maggie Fikes 9, Hannah Whyde 3, Alissa Leer 2, Kristen Mitchell 2, Cally Owen 2, Emma Surface 1. Assists: Leer 6, Whyde 2, Debra MacLean 1, Owen 1. Digs: Leer 6, Fikes 3, Surface 3, MacLean 2, Leanza MacGregor 1, Mitchell 1, Owen 1, Surface 1, Whyde 1. Blocks: Owen 1. Aces: MacLean 2, Mitchell 2, Leer 1. Silver Lightning regular season record: 3-3 |
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