Cavewomen and Silverpups

Timp Sports Weekly

November 1, 2011

Publisher's Message

For these past couple of months, we've been focusing primarily on sports stories about the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies. With no offense to them, we're going to have this issue focus entirely on a volleyball match involving the Awesome American Fork Cavewomen and the Riverton Silverwolves, AKA Silverpups. The match was played at American Fork on Oct. 18. Even though neither team has a prayer for making it to state this year, their match was still a thrilling contest to watch. Let's get to the account of that contest.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

magnanovelist@gmail.com

Awesome AF Cavespikers Skin Riverton Silverpups in 3-Game Match Oct. 18

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

Even though the Awesome American Fork Cavewomen and the Riverton Silverwolves, AKA the Silverpups, had already lost their chance for playing at this year's state 5-A volleyball tournament, they still gave spectators a thrilling performance in a three-game match played at American Fork Oct. 18. The Awesome Cavewomen defeated the Silverpups by scores of 25-20, 25-18, 25-18.

The match opened with an Ellie Rosdahl ace putting the Cavewomen on the scoreboard first. Ali "Baba" Barney tipped the ball into a hole, sending the Silverpups howling out to a 3-1 lead. Cavewoman Jessica Smith registered a kill which sparked a fierce American Fork challenge to Riverton. The Cavewomen soon tied the game at five, but a Rachel Davis kill broke the deadlock for Riverton. Its 6-5 lead didn't faze the Awesome Cavewomen any. Led by Smith and Kate Goulding, they soon clubbed their way out to a 7-6 lead. A double block put up by Smith and Alesa "Tex" Petitt tightened the Awesome Cavewomen's hold on the narrow lead. American Fork built up to 15-8.

A Barney kill unleashed a 4-0 scoring run that put the Silverpups within 15-12. Suddenly, a missed Riverton serve slowed the Silverpups down. Petitt hits helped American Fork secure a 17-13 advantage. However, aided Dandy Mandy Chidester and Andy "Moon River" Denos, Barney served two straight aces that positioned her Silverpups within 17-16. Though Barney missed a serve, Riverton still managed to pull within 19-18 and 21-20 on Gerika Ballard's hitting. Kelsey "Lethal" Leetham stopped the Silverpups cold by registering a kill. Two consecutive Morgan Evans aces made it possible for the Awesome Cavewomen to win the game by five points.

Like in the first game, the Silverpups took a 3-1 lead in Game 2. Riverton's advantage grew as wide as 10-5 through Danelle Parady's impressive serving, aided by hits from Davis, Barney, Denos, and Ballard. When the score read 10-5, Riverton, the Awesome Cavewomen could have easily fallen apart at that point. Instead, they lived up to their nickname as Pettit and Smith stirred up a long rally. Midway through the game, Gouding made three straight kills that tied the game at 14. Sierra "Colonel" Sanders broke the tie with a kill fired to the back row. Another kill by her solidified American Fork's hold on the lead. The Awesome Cavewomen never looked back.

Led by Pettit, Goulding, Smith, and Janae Hunter, the Awesome Cavewomen came out on top in the third game to end the match.

Sanders led American Fork with nine kills. Rosdahl came up with 30 assists and 12 digs. Hunter had 19 digs.