In all three games, Goochland couldn’t have asked for better starts, and after a first game romp, it looked like the unbeaten Bulldogs were in the midst of another quick 3-0 win, this time with a return trip to the Group A Division 2 tournament on the line with George Mason.
The Mustangs made it interesting though.
Facing holes in both the second and third set, Mason clawed back to make a pivotal game two as contentious as possible, and make what looked like a truly out of reach game three more of a fight than it probably should have been. In the end Goochland got its comfortable 3-0 win in the Region B semifinals, 25- 14, 28-26, 25-18 but getting the best of both worlds by overcoming some tests from a Mustangs team that made its mark in the Bull Run District with pure defense.
“In the first game our passing was on and the communication was there and it showed,” said Bulldogs coach Jennifer Erixon. “The second game we got into our own heads and the mental game hurt us… But I’m very proud because outside of the two early season tournaments we played, we’ve won every set, and this team wants to keep that going, but it’s going to get tougher and tougher to do that.”
At 24-0, Goochland played like the favorite in the first game by establishing a 12-9 lead and then running away with a 1-0 advantage by taking 13 of the next 18 points thanks to its height advantage up front and serving.
The second set was the wildest of the three for the Bulldogs. It was close early with Mason trying to force Goochland into mistakes and staying within striking distance just down 8-6. But a 10-2 run from the Bulldogs playing aggressively at the net made it 18-8. Impressively enough, the Mustangs worked their way back into the game with a 6-0 streak and then taking roughly two points for every Goochland point to find a way to dodge set point at 24-23 and then tie the game at 25.
“Our passing got off and we weren’t communicating enough and when those two things aren’t right it throws everything else off for us,” Erixon said.
It took three times for the Bulldogs to win game point, but after they did, the momentum carried over quicky.
In the third game, Goochland unleashed its strongest start as they rolled to a 15-4 lead. Once again Mason forced a timeout as they continued to play well behind the line and make it a 21-16 game. Having learned its lesson in the second frame, the Bulldogs shut the door to win the match with a 4-2 finish and earning it’s right to get back to the state tournament.
“I’m proud because the first goal was get back to states, now it’s win the region and then keep going,” Erixon said. “(A state title) is four wins away, but four long, hard-fought wins away.”
Senior captain Christine Mills had what Erixon described as “the match of her life” with an 11-kill, seven-block, two-ace showing. Fellow senior Taylor Struggs had six kills. Also playing big up front was junior Mesa Willis who put together five kills and five blocks. Sophomore Sydney Alvis led the passing attack with 17 assists but she also was found a way to tally eight aces and four kills.
Goochland will face a Stuarts Draft team that bumped them from the Group A tournament last year on Saturday.
“The team was looking forward to, really hoping to being able to play them again,” Erixon said.
