When losing is winning Hiland's epic five-game loss to Strasburg provides plenty of reasons to be encouraged
After Lady Tigers hammer Aimee Jesse had nailed home yet one more colossal kill for the final point of the game, after five tense contests, Strasburg players leaped in celebration, having collected a victory in their season opener.
Yet on the other side of the floor, there were the Lady Hawks, totally thrilled with their effort, including a pair of come-from-behind wins in games three and four, which forced a fifth and deciding game with a team that had mopped the floor with them last season.
The celebration took on much the look of the final scene of the movie Bad News Bears, in which the Bears had lost, yet still celebrated a major victory, having gained a great deal of respect.
"Hiland has improved... drastically," said Strasburg coach Deb Durbin. "That was something. I'm not sure my heart can take a lot of these kinds of games this season."
Strasburg took the first two games 25-17 and 25-19 behind Jesse's powerful stroke, but even in the losses, Hiland was showing a marked improvement over last season's single digit losses to the Lady Tigers.
Then something strange happened; Hiland started to win.
Down early, the Lady Hawks battled back, and when freshman Kelsey Mast drilled a kill, it was tied at 9. Moments later Sierra Miller spiked one home for a 10-9 lead. Then the two teams proceeded to trade points, and eventually Hiland got up 23-21. Charity Mishler scored on a kill and then Dane Rausch served for the win, and Hiland was still alive.
Momentum carried over, and Hiland took a 10-7 lead on another Miller ace. Then Strasburg's Gabi Atkinson took over. Atkinson's tricky left-handed serve got the Lady Tigers from a 10-8 deficit to a 14-10 advantage. This was generally where the Lady Hawks fell to pieces last season, but not this year.
The two teams traded points until Strasburg led 22-17, still in command.
But Miller stepped up to the line after Hiland had regained the serve, and nailed not just one or two, but five straight aces to give Hiland a 23-22 edge.
After regaining the serve when Miller finally missed a serve, Stephanie Shuster put Strasburg in position to win with a pretty block at the net. Ariel Cooper answered with a kill to tie it. Rausch missed a serve, but with a chance to win, Strasburg's Jessi Goedel got caught in the net. Rausch then hit a nifty dink for a winner to give Hiland a chance to win, but Ariel Jones made a nice defensive save and Jesse did her thing again, then followed it up with another to put Strasburg in position to win at 27-26. But Jesse's serve was long, and when Mast nailed a pair of spikes for two points, Hiland was celebrating a stunning game four victory 29-27.
Now in totally forcing territory, Hiland headed to game five, totally pumped, and totally exhausted.
The veteran Strasburg didn't blink. The Lady Tigers played some amazing defense early, then took advantage of several unforced errors, and behind the serving of sophomore Ashley Moore and some spot-on sets from Ariel Jones, Jesse finished with a flurry to give Strasburg a 15-4 final game win.
"We dug ourselves a hole, but I was thrilled with the way we responded," said Durbin. "We kind of got out of rhythm in games three and four, and we went away from Aimee. But as a whole, we played really well in the fifth, and got back to what had worked in the first two games."
For Hiland, not even the sour taste of the fifth and deciding game could contain their glee at the improvement the team showed from last year's winless campaign.
"I went into our locker room and I was speechless," said second year coach Becky Williams. "That's not like me at all. I was so proud of the girls. They absolutely played their hearts out and I can't ask for anything more than that. Everyone pitched in, and we came from behind twice to win games. I really felt that they dug deep. I think in the end we got a little tired, because we were running on emotions out there, but what a thrilling night."
Williams said that she didn't think her players realized how tired they were entering game five, because they were so excited and the euphoria was so great.
But when a team isn't used to winning, and finds itself playing in a crucial game five against a team that has been there, the pressure can overcome you in a hurry, and Williams said that they are simply going to have to learn how to win in that situation.
"I give Strasburg a lot of credit, because they played some outstanding defense in that fifth game," said Williams. "But I loved our intensity, and you can really get a sense that the girls now believe in themselves, that they can compete and win. I'll take an effort like this anytime. Even though we lost, this is a huge win in my book. This was a really big step for us tonight against a good team."
Williams credited the freshman Mast's spirit as being a key contributor to the team's new intensity and drive, and also said that another factor which helped pump her kids up was the fan base of students, who provided some energy to the night.
"I don't know if the fans realize how much that helps our kids," said Williams. "That was awesome having the student body there behind us all night."