The BlueWave of Florida State College at Jacksonville jumped out to an early conference lead after sweeping the home series against Santa Fe on Thursday evening and then against the Pirates of Pensacola State College this afternoon. However, neither win was a cake walk. The Pirates now 0-2 after a pair of matches this weekend, gave the BlueWave all they could handle but came up just short 13-15 in the deciding game. According to BlueWave coach Edric Poitier, I think the team came in just a bit over confident. After pulling off a win over Santa Fe on Thursday evening then watching Santa Fe have such an easy time with the Pirates last evening, I believe they ware expecting an easier match. As a coaching staff we tried to put them in the right frame of mind before the match and to tell not underestimate any opponent; but sometimes it is good for a team to have a shocking reality in order for them to get the message you are trying to send.
The Pirates did exactly that, shocked the BlueWave back to reality, as they came out swinging from the first serve. Before the BlueWave realized what had hit them, they were down 1 set to none. The BlueWave settled down a bit and took the second set quite comfortably 25-13. But the Pirates were not done, they bounced back to take the third set 25-23. The BlueWave, down 2 sets to 1 had to draw on everything that they had to even the score at two sets a piece. Now facing a situation they had not yet seen for the season, a 5th and deciding set, they were forced to find a way to protect their home court. They rallied behind the effective hitting of team leader Elizabeth Sandoval's 20 kills performance and squeaked out a narrow win 15-13 in the deciding set.
Sandoval finished the evening with her second double double in as many games adding 12 digs to her 20 kills, while Marine Angely added her first double double of the season, with 13 kills and 10 digs, Both Jana Cuk and Dyrenna Harris added 5 blocks a piece, Libero Krystal Santiago added a 20 digs performance, while Freshman Leah Mortensen added a new career high 24 assist.
The BlueWave won't see action again until they face these same two conference opponents 10 days from now in Gainesville Florida.
The BlueWave will be back at home on October 8th to face Florida Gateway College in the Dig Pink cancer awareness game.