Acorns open league with victory Tuesday
MORGAN HILL — Picking up where they left off at the end of Live Oak’s discouraging 2008 volleyball season, Jenna Robertson and Annie Reyes-Ortiz deftly helped the Lady Acorns take a big step forward in their home gym.
With Robertson setting and Reyes-Ortiz spiking, the two seniors connected for half a dozen kills as Live Oak blew past the Piedmont Hills Pirates, 25-10, 25-14, 26-24, Tuesday in the opening Mount Hamilton Division contest for both teams.
“It’s very refreshing,” Reyes-Ortiz, who had 10 kills, 5 digs and two aces, said of the victory. “I think our teamwork has really come around these past couple of games. We’ve had each other’s backs.”
The Acorns (2-2 overall, 1-0 league) struggled to put away close matches this preseason, showing a weakness that plagued them during their 3-11 finish in league a year ago.
They had no trouble putting away the league’s newest member.
“I didn’t care what the score was in that last game. I’m just glad we finished tonight,” said Live Oak coach Laura Coleman, who played her reserves for most of the third set. “Against Santa Cruz … and Los Altos, we were ahead but ended up losing. It’s nice that we know how to finish, because, once you learn how to, winning is a lot easier.
“It doesn’t matter how good you get if you can’t, mentally, pull it together.”
Gabi Cinkova totaled five kills and four digs, and Alyssa Brusaschetti added four aces and two digs for Live Oak, which scored most of its points of Piedmont Hills’ errors. Robertson finished with six aces and four digs and collected seven of her 14 assists in Game 3 to preserve the sweep.
“Jenna and Annie looked good tonight,” Coleman said. “Jenna is still setting a little low because she’s thinking too much. She’s great when she’s relaxed.
“Annie, it was nice seeing her play like that tonight. You need your seniors to step up in a game like this.”
Robertson was behind the service line for 16 consecutive points in Game 1, when Live Oak opened up an 18-2 lead. She and sophomore Katie Obbema connected for a strange, but crowd-pleasing kill in Game 2. With Obbema moving to her left, Robertson set to the right, and Obbema backhanded the ball to the top of the net, where it rolled for a second before dropping to the other side.
“Jenna was serving and setting so well,” Reyes-Ortiz said. “I was really comfortable out there. We were having fun.”
Live Oak’s defense was just as sound. The Acorns surrendered only 10 kills, including a Pirates’-best six by Tiffany Han, and received digs from six players. Alli Unger and Guilia Seminatore had three, and Fa Saulala had two to go with four kills. Sophomore middle blocker Allison Shedden landed a stuff block to end the second game.
“I really like my defense,” Coleman said. “I’m pretty happy with that. The backs just need to be more consistent.”
The Acorns trailed 16-11 in Game 3 before regaining momentum. They did so with three kills by Reyes-Ortiz, whose ace pulled Live Oak even, 20-20. The Pirates’ poise deteriorated from there, culminating in a game-ending line violation.
“It feels so nice to get this win, even if it is ugly. An ugly win is an ugly win,” Coleman said. “Even the 49ers and Raiders won ugly this weekend. As long as (we) learn how to win like this, we’ll be all right.”
Jennifer Cardema totaled 10 assists, and Kiana Jones tallied three digs, two aces, two kills and a block to lead Piedmont Hills.
GIRLS TENNIS
Acorns wins third straight in league
Backed by wins from each of their singles players, the Live Oak Acorns cruised to their third consecutive victory Tuesday, 4-3 over Yerba Buena.
Marie Lewis, Alyssa Gamboa, Elena McElheny and Jennifer Protsman won in straight sets, as the Acorns overcame the absence of Mika Matsumoto (5-1) to improve to 4-3 overall and 2-3 in Santa Teresa Division play.
Live Oak has won four of its last five matches.
SHS blows by Lions
The Lady Bulldogs defaulted one doubles match, but that was their only blemish Tuesday in a 6-1 victory over Lincoln.
Alexa Watanabe, Ali Pecsok, Allison Stoner and Emerald Nguyen were Sobrato’s singles winners, and Amy Morimoto and Katie Martin, and Alicia Warren and Amanda Alipaz triumphed in pairs.
Sobrato is 4-1 in Santa Teresa Division play.
