The well-rested Anzar High girls volleyball team defeated
visiting Robert Louis Stevenson 25-8, 25-16, 25-16 Wednesday
night.
San Juan Bautista – The well-rested Anzar High girls volleyball team defeated visiting Robert Louis Stevenson 25-8, 25-16, 25-16 Wednesday night.
Treva Crocker led the team with 17 kills. Amy Knight had 23 assists, and defensive specialist Danielle Mello had seven digs.
“They turned it around and played strong tonight,” said first-year Anzar coach Michael Dorney. “The girls got to touch the volleyball a lot. Even though it might appear the opponent didn’t give us much of a match, we were able to run some of things we wanted to run.”
RLS, which has several players out because of academics, hasn’t won a game yet this season.
The Hawks (13-9, 5-3 MTAL) were coming off a streak of playing 14 matches in seven days, finishing up with a 2-4 record in the Gilroy tournament last weekend.
They defeated Mount Madonna and Alvarez but lost to Watsonville, Moreno, Scotts Valley and Gilroy. In the first match of the season at Gilroy, Anzar defeated Gilroy 3-1.
“Gilroy played better this time,” Dorney said. “They returned our serves better. We pride ourselves in having some good tough serves, and they were ready for them. They passed the ball well and kept the ball up.”
In the previous tournament, the Carmichael Invitational, Anzar finished with a 4-2 record.
“We’re still growing. We’re not stagnant,” Dorney said. “They’re receptive to what we have to tell them. We’re moving in the right direction.”
Dorney took over this year as head coach after taking last year off from assisting to get his teaching credentials.
The Hawks, who compete in the Central Coast Division 5 playoffs, won a section title while he Dorney was an assistant under Tamara Smith two years ago.
Anzar doesn’t really have much height this year other than Crocker, who stands at 6-foot-0. But somehow the Hawks continue to find ways to win.
One of the big pieces in the puzzle is Knight, who could the best setter in the league, Dorney said.
“She is able to get the second ball up no matter where it is so we can hit it,” Dorney said. “Everyone is coming around in hitting. Anyone I put on the court is not intimidated. They will take the ball and try to put it down. Volleyball is an aggressive sport, and you have to have that edge to beat good teams.”
