Saints volleyball shows true grit in defeating region rival

It was a match of high stakes. Not for a title, or to secure a playoff spot, but for team morale. The Saints volleyball team fought through five games to defeat regional rival the Clackamas Cougars Oct. 7.

The Cougars, currently third in the Southern region with a 3-2 record and a 19-11 overall record, put up a fight in game one, winning 25-22.

“There were too many mistakes,” said head coach Chelsie Speer, who looked at recent losses as a sign that a change needed to be made. “We had bumps in the road; after the OIT (Oregon Tech) match, something clicked. It was on us, we needed to create pressure situations in practices.”

The change paid off, with the Saints showing resilience against the Cougars. They won games two and three (25-21, 25-13), but dropped a close game four (25-27) before ultimately pulling out game five (15-12) to take the match and close out the Cougars on their turf. “I was really impressed with that fight.

After the match I had no words for them. We needed a match like that, to go five and battle,” said Speer.

The victory, which broke a two-match losing streak, was a much-needed boost for the Saints who have struggled with communication in early season action due to injuries and position changes.

“We’ve had so many issues with injuries, position changes, people not knowing who will be where. It was huge to see the girls perform in a pressure situation, it was good for them to realize that they can do it,” said assistant coach Corey Nielson at practice Wednesday night.

The sophomore-dominated team has relied heavily on the experience of returners to step it up and get the job done. Powerhouse offensive performances by outside hitter Devan Belshe who put down 21 kills against the Cougars, and middle-blocker Demi Belshe, who posted 15 match kills against the Cougars, have been the consistent key in victories. “The Belshe girls have taken ownership of this team,” said Nielson. “They are both leaders. Demi is the vocal leader and Devan is a quiet leader who leads by example,” said Nielson who added that all the sophomores are leaders in their own ways.

The Saints will compete in the Bellvue (Wash.) Crossover Tournament today and Saturday. The Saints will play the Eastern Region Big Bend Vikings at noon, who head into today with a 1-7 record in the East and a 6-16 overall record. Game two will begin at 3 p.m with the Saints facing the Western region number two seed team the Clark Penguins, who head into the meet with a 4-2 record in the West, and a 6-7 record overall. The final day one match will be against the Northern Region number one seed team the Shoreline Dolphins, who head into the meet with a perfect 5-0 record in the North and a 12-4 record overall. Game two matches will be determined at the end of today. Day one results and day two matchups and times can be found on the NWAACC website.

When asked what the Saints would need to pull out wins in the tournament, Speer said, “All I ask is that they show up and go all out and have fun while they do it.”