By Jasmine Gonzales |Staff Writer|
CSUSB women’s volleyball team is still in the running for the Conference Championships after defeating Cal State Monterey Bay Otters on Oct.15, and the Cal State East Bay Pioneers on Oct. 18.
Coyotes fought hard against the Otters, winning 3-0 in the Coussoulis Arena.
The Otters put up a strong fight in the first match, only trailing the Coyotes by one, but eventually fell short after allowing two aces, ending the match at 28-26, with the Coyotes on top.
The Coyotes went into the game strong, “we have a high confidence level based on past results,” said Head Coach Kim Cherniss.
In the second match, the Coyotes showed great teamwork, being in sync with each other in every play, while the Otters lacked consistency, allowing big plays to be missed, resulting in another Coyote win 25-23.
“From practice to team dinners there is never a dull moment,” said Arielle McCullough, team captain.
This seems to explain the Coyotes’ cohesiveness on the court.
The Coyotes trailed most of the third match against the Otters, but came back strong, winning 25-19.
“We have a championship mentality,” said Cherniss.
The Otters continued to struggle with having miscommunication, resulting in the ball being dropped on multiple plays.
The Otters let their frustrations affect their play, showing negative emotions after every missed play.
The Coyotes, on the other hand, could shake off their mistakes and get back in the game.
“Don’t let your expectations get in between you and your work ethics,” said Cherniss during their scrimmage match at practice.
The Coyotes practice hard and take in a lot of constructive criticism, and they are able to make the adjustments they need during the game without their frustration rising.
The Coyotes hard practice pays off, and they display discipline in their games.
“The decision process was okay, you just have to practice how you execute,” said Associate Head Coach Danny Scott.
The Coyotes beat the Otters for the 14th time in a row, giving their season a considerable boost.
To top off their week, the Coyotes defeated the Pioneers in another home game.
The 5-13 Pioneers put up a fight against the Coyotes, forcing them to play all four matches.
The Coyotes won the first match 25-19 against the Pioneers, but that did not stop the underdogs from trying to win the game.
The Pioneers took the second match, winning 25-23, and although offensively the Pioneers fell short, their overall defense was outstanding, with 26 digs made by Libero Angie Maina.
The Coyotes won an intense third match against the Pioneers 28-26; the teams were tied for a while, but the Coyotes came out on top.
By the fourth match the Coyotes’ game was strong and they took the match 25-21.
Alexandria Torline led the team with 20 kills against the Pioneers, followed by teammate Tori May.
McCullough had an amazing game with 23 digs, and the team had an overall of 13 blocks, compared to the Pioneers’ five.
The stakes are set high for this game, as this could be the Coyotes ticket back to the Conference Championships.
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