Souderton boosts energy, beats CB East in 4
FRANCONIA >> Enthusiasm goes a long way for the Souderton boys volleyball team.
“I’d say the higher the energy for our team, the better we play,” Indians senior Sam Hess said. “When we’re just sitting there and letting balls pass, we’re not working as a team and we’re not going to win games.”
Friday night, the buzz Big Reed needed on the court was lacking early in the opening set against visiting Central Bucks East.
The Patriots picked up the first three points and steadily extended their advantage until Souderton coach Dave Stastny needed to call a timeout with his side trailing 14-7.
“Sometimes you get anxious, cause, yeah, we kind of were down and you try to get three points at one point,” he said. “You try to get going too fast. Hey, let’s take a breath and let’s play. And relax and regroup.”
It proved to be the jolt needed by the Indians, who collected the next five points to start an 18-6 run to gave them a 25-20 victory.
“Our coach just really brought us together, told us to focus,” said Sam Hess of the timeout. “We just needed to play as a team, really bring the energy cause we really didn’t show up for the first couple of points. And he’s like this is our home crowd, we got to get a win here.”
BOYS #VOLLEYBALL: Souderton celebrates after earning the final point of Game 4 in its 3-1 win over CB East. pic.twitter.com/fyYV2cbMw5
— Mike Cabrey (@mpcabrey) April 30, 2016
Souderton could not mount another comeback in Game 2, but held on after a fast start in the third then used a strong closeout to claim the Suburban One League Continental Conference match 3-1 (25-20, 16-25, 25-22, 25-17).
“The past couple practices, they were having that energy and that fun,” Stastny said. “We’re not perfect, but you’re having fun and the energy’s there and the effort comes and it happens. I guy makes a play, next guy picks it up and makes a better play, bam, you got the point. So they really carried that over, that’s I’m really proud of them for.”
“I give East a lot of credit. They’re missing three players. I give them credit for hanging in there, they played well for missing their players, but I’m glad to come out with a win.”
Hess paced the Indians (9-4, 9-3 conference) with 13 kills and also made seven digs. Ben Chapman chipped in 12 kills and nine digs. Freshman Luke Pagan made 38 assists taking over at setter for his brother Jack, who is out after suffering an injury in Monday’s loss to Central Bucks West.
“He actually had played a match already where he played as a 5-1, so he’s OK. As a freshman, he did well, he did really well,” said Stastny of Luke Pagan. “He gets a little frustrated with himself, but he really kept his composure. I think the team rallied around him and rallied around themselves. That’s what we wanted to do.”
Mike Pagan and Kyle Wetzler made five and four blocks, respectively, while Nate Klaus had a pair of aces for Souderton, which is back in action at Quakertown 6:30 p.m. Monday.
“Unfortunately our setter, Jack Pagan, got injured, so it kind of unified us as a team,” Hess said. “We’re trying to bring it together and really bring all the energy that we can as a team and win for him and also for each other, cause we’re also seniors pretty much. So, really get the program rolling for the upcoming years.”
BOYS #VOLLEYBALL: Sam Hess gets a ball through a block to seal Souderton's 25-22 Game 3 win vs. CB East pic.twitter.com/JTz3rSBW3N
— Mike Cabrey (@mpcabrey) April 30, 2016
After Big Red’s five-point spurt to pull within 14-12 in the first set, CB East responded with three in a row, pushing the margin to five. Souderton, however, kept coming — collecting eight of the next 10 points to grab its first lead of the game at 20-19.
An Eric Chmiel kill pulled East level, but the Indians took the last five points — a long shot by the Patriots sealing Souderton’s 25-20 win.
In Game 2, the Indians called a timeout down 15-10, but could not repeat the first set rally. After Big Red cut the margin to three for a third time at 18-15, the Patriots took control with six straight points and even the match with a 25-16 victory.
Souderton started Game 3 with six consecutive points and was up 12-5 before CB East used a 10-3 run to knot the set at 15-15. The Indians went back ahead on the next point and held the lead up a three straight by East made it 21-21.
A Hess kill broke the deadlock and two more points gave Big Red game point. The Patriots got within 24-22, but Hess got a ball through a block for a 2-1 match lead.
“It was good that we got that, we stayed with it, we were able to finish it out,” Stastny said. “I thought that was a plus for us. I thought that was a big plus for us.”
Tied 12-12 in the fourth game, Souderton took the lead with four straight points — the start of a 9-2 run that made it 21-14. East could only get the deficit down to five as the Indians took the match with a 25-17 win.
