Live Oak came out rusty in its 2011 volleyball-season opener
Thursday, losing in three sets to visiting Mount Madonna.
First-year coach James Uthes saw no need to panic after the 25-20,
25-19, 25-15 loss; the Acorns were swept in their second game last
year against Los Altos, only to win 21 of their next 29 and a Mount
Hamilton Division title
MORGAN HILL
Live Oak came out rusty in its 2011 volleyball-season opener Thursday, losing in three sets to visiting Mount Madonna.
First-year coach James Uthes saw no need to panic after the 25-20, 25-19, 25-15 loss; the Acorns were swept in their second game last year against Los Altos, only to win 21 of their next 29 and a Mount Hamilton Division title.
Mount Madonna is no slouch, either. The Hawks finished 26-10 (9-5 in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League) in 2010 and reached the Central Coast Section Division V semifinals, losing in five games to eventual champion Crystal Springs Uplands.
“It’s not the end of the world, of course,” Uthes said Friday. “I’m a little more disappointed in myself for the lineups I went with. I played everyone just to test them out and see how they work together.
“Finding the right mix takes time.”
The Acorns were led by their senior middles, Katie Obbema and Allison Shedden, who scored seven kills and six, respectively, to go with three blocks apiece.
Alli Unger chipped in 31 digs at libero, and Savanna Hartman had five kills and 14 digs, also for Live Oak. Shawnee Davis added 28 digs.
Although it was the first game of the season, Uthes said his team’s passing and hitting need to improve.
“We need a lot of fine-tuning right now,” he said. “We just need to put the passing and hitting together a little bitter. When one was there, the other one wasn’t.
“We should do better next time out.”
The Acorns play their first home game at 6:30 p.m. Thursday against Milpitas, then on Sept. 13, travel to Castilleja to face another CCS Division V semifinalist from 2010.
FIELD HOCKEY
St. Francis 4, LOHS 1
Live Oak played with the intensity coach Gina Sanders wanted to see Thursday in their season opener against St. Francis, one of five A league teams the locals will face in nonleague.
Positive signs were everywhere except the scorebook.
“We lost this one, but it was a really good learning experience for us,” said Sanders, who began her fifth season at Live Oak. “I feel like we dominated most of the first half, but they came down twice on fast breaks and took advantage of our young defense.”
Acorns forward Megan Rauschnot scored toward the end of the first half, following a rebound off a shot by teammate Kirsten Doting. That cut St. Francis’ lead to 2-1 at halftime. But the Lancers, a Mount Hamilton Division team, were just warming up.
Live Oak battled until the final whistle.
“We did some really good things,” Sanders said. “We switched the field and found lines. We just needed more work on defense.”
The Acorns has four games left until the start of Santa Teresa Division play, beginning at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday against visiting Archbishop Mitty, also of the Mount Hamilton Division. Live Oak on Thursday visits Los Gatos, winner of three of the last four CCS championships.
Leland 12, Sobrato 0
The Bulldogs shouldered some tough lessons as well Thursday in a season-opening loss to the defending Santa Teresa Division champions.
Sobrato, a West Valley Division club, had no answer for Leland’s experience.
“That was the biggest thing,” second-year Bulldogs coach Jessica Naranjo said. “It was definitely a wake-up call for some of our girls, who haven’t played before. I can’t be mad at them — we just have a lot of work to do.”
Sobrato hosts St. Francis at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Bulldogs’ home opener.
