Volleyball one win away from clinching South region

 

The hot steak continues, after the Saints volleyball team won its 19th and 20th straight matches last weekend.

Tonight, Mt. Hood turns its focus to South Region rival Clackamas Community College. The Saints will host CCC at 6 p.m. in the gymnasium.

There’s plenty at stake after MHCC (32-6) defeated Umpqua (7-30) and Southwestern Oregon Community College (SWOCC) (9-14) in two road matches played Nov. 1-2.

With its eighth divisional victory, Mt. Hood moved to 8-0 in the South Region and clinched at least a share of the region title. This is the fifth year in a row the Saints have won or shared the title.

Now, they can claim the outright title by defeating Clackamas.

On Nov. 2, the Saints sputtered at first against SWOCC, but after halftime put the match away decisively, winning in three sets (25-16, 28-26, 25-14). Assistant coach Corey Nielson said the home team was inspired. “SWOCC has a big gym, and it’s a small town. It was their sophomore night so it was that much more special to their team,” he said.

In fact, the Saints were on the wrong side of a 12-0 run in the second set. “With every point the fans got louder and louder,” Nielson said. SWOCC surged from a 23-12 deficit to take a one-point lead, before the Saints fought back.

“They were at set point twice, and we were able to pull it out. It was really special for our girls,” Nielson said.

Sophomore middle blocker Keely Siegel described the scene.

“Going down there’s always hard. They have super loud and crazy fans. It was difficult to stay focused, but we did.”

MHCC’s libero, Ally Rombach, said, “We did the little things and stayed disciplined, and it worked out.”

One day earlier, Mt. Hood rolled over Umpqua (25-12, 25-14, 25-11).

Nielson said that the Saints’ recent tournament play helped to prepare the team for its back-to-back road matches. “You’re not sleeping in your own bed and sometimes it’s hard to be focused. Playing in the tournaments helps,” he said.

Tonight, the Saints are home and have plenty of motivation against Clackamas, with a regional title on the line.

“It’s in our gym, South Region is on the line, we’re trying to ramp it up for NWAACCs (championships), this game means everything,” Nielson said. The Saints know that Clackamas is a competitive and scrappy team, he said. “On top of that, this year they have great hitters and setters.”

Siegel expects a battle. “It’ll be another difficult game. We beat them last time, and people always want revenge,” she said.

Nielson explained the Saints’ sustained success this year. “We are disciplined, we are unpredictable. We are a very unselfish group,” he said.

The Saints have remained at the No. 3 ranking in the NWAACC polls, despite a solid body of work and a tournament championship under their belt. Nielson said no one is particularly bothered. “We know that the only rankings that matter are at the end of the year. Anyone can be picked above us right now, but at the end of the year no one can ‘pick’ a champion.”

On Wednesday, MHCC hosts its final league home match of the year, against Chemeketa. It will be Sophomore Night to honor second-year players before they move on from MHCC.

Nielson likes the Saints’ postseason chances. The Saints will host the NWAACC championship tournament in the MHCC gym on Nov. 21-24.

“This team has done a very good job enjoying the journey… (and) done a great job of making it fun along the way,” he said. Its sights are set very high, meantime: another championship, or at least a high finish. “We have a goal to hang a banner. Chelsie’s (head coach Chelsie Speer) done that every year she’s been here,” he said.

Siegel said the team’s focus is sharp. “We’re going to have to work together, stay disciplined, and take care of business,” she said.