VOLLEYBALL Lakeview ends Hubbard's long winning streak

Hubbard began its Trumbull Athletic Conference winning streak in 1993.
& lt;a href=mailto:scalzo@vindy.com & gt;By JOE SCALZO & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
HUBBARD -- Lakeview High senior Whitney Keyser woke up Tuesday morning thinking about it. She woke up last Thursday thinking about it. She probably woke up three years ago thinking about it.
The streak. Specifically, ending it.
The teams in the Trumbull Athletic Conference started losing to Hubbard in volleyball 151 matches ago, and they never stopped.
The streak survived close calls, graduating players, a presidential administration, three of Michael Jordan's retirements and the rise and fall of the Taco Bell Chihuahua.
On Tuesday, it finally met its match.
"It can't go on forever," Hubbard coach Chuck Montgomery said.
Keyser and fellow four-year letter-winner Megan Taylor helped the visiting Bulldogs banish the league losing streak by outlasting Hubbard, 15-8, 12-15, 15-5.
"I'm really shaking right now," Keyser, who had 16 digs and two aces, said. "I don't think they expected it; I don't think we expected it."
Time was right
Actually, Montgomery said before the game had a feeling this might be the night. The Eagles lost their three top players to graduation -- including Katy Jo Mroski, who went to Indiana University -- and were more inexperienced than usual.
Hubbard was vulnerable and Lakeview was ready.
The time was right.
"We've been waiting for so long," said Taylor, who had two blocks and 17 kills. "I never thought it'd happen."
The streak began in 1993, just two years after Montgomery started Hubbard's volleyball program. Many thought it would end last year, but the Eagles were able to beat Girard -- and its standout, Tealle Hunkus -- in both meetings.
Lakeview split with Girard last season -- a sign Lakeview was rapidly improving. And on Tuesday, the Bulldogs showed how far they have come.
"You always remember your first [win], but this one was a little sweeter," Lakeview coach Scott Taylor said. "But it's just one game in a quest for a league title. This was just a step toward getting that."
Close game
Of course, the game itself was far from easy.
Hubbard jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first game, only to watch the Bulldogs use a 7-1 run to take control. The Eagles briefly regained the lead (8-7), but Lakeview closed out the first set with an 8-0 run.
"We lost some very powerful players and we struggled to put the ball away," Montgomery said. "We played well at times, but we can play better."
The Eagles again took a quick lead in the second set (9-3) only to watch Lakeview rally with a 9-2 run to take the lead. But Hubbard stiffened, closing out the match with a 4-0 run capped by a strong kill shot by senior Tracie Hassell.
Hassell finished with 13 digs, 10 assists, six kills, three blocks and two aces.
"We knew it wouldn't be easy," Megan Taylor said. "We knew we had to go through a tough match."
But in the third set, Hubbard ran out of gas, as Lakeview won 15 of the final 18 points.
"Lakeview's program has improved yearly," Montgomery said. "Scott Taylor has worked extremely hard and he has some very good players this year. They're a very good team."
So is Hubbard. And no one knows it better than Keyser.
"Props to Hubbard -- they had an amazing streak," Keyser said. "This means so much for our program. I think this win really pushes us to strive for excellence."
And, maybe, to strive for their own streak.
& lt;a href=mailto:scalzok@vindy.com & gt;scalzo@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;