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Canfield improves to 18-1 after sweep of Poland
Canfield improves to 18-1 after sweep of Poland
By matthew peaslee
poland
Before every match, Hannah Milstead makes a checklist for herself.
“Don’t let anything get past me, keep my hands big, stay ready and make sure to get close on a block,” she read.
After Milstead’s Canfield volleyball squad defeated Poland in three sets, she was able to cross all four off the list.
Milstead finished the night with 13 kills, five of which were preceded by a block.
“She was the outstanding player of the night,” Canfield coach Ronie Haurin said. “She probably had her best match of the season and that’s exactly what you want at this time of the season.”
Now at 18-1 on the year, the Cardinals are playing their best all season, just three matches away from tournament time. Haurin had a hunch that they would play a complete game on Thursday.
“The girls have been working on some plays that they were able to put into practice tonight,” she said. “Defensively and offensively, they all came together and played great.”
Sabrina Mangapora says the name of the game is deception.
“You always want to keep the other side guessing,” said the senior. “We practice a lot of mixing things up to keep the defense on its toes.”
Mangapora had 10 kills and throughout the game operated on a pattern. The Cardinals do indeed try to “mix things up” on their return hits. Sometimes they’ll fake a sharp spike, then gently tap it over the net, other times they’ll do the opposite. In the third set, Poland rallied to earn six straight points. Canfield was still ahead 18-12, but Mangapora made sure to hault the Bulldog rally with a simple score that fell within an inch of the net. The Cardinals won the set, and closed out the game, 25-15.
“The defense is thinking, ‘Oh she just wants to get it over the net,’ Mangapora said. “But, we come in and fool them with a hard hit, or just a little tap. Anything to throw them off.”
Canfield won a back-and-forth first game 25-19, but never really gained control until a 6-6 tie in set two.
That’s when Milstead built up a wall.
The senior tallied two blocks-turned-points in a row, setting up a nine-point streak.
“Shoving it right back in their face is indescribable,” she said. “Getting the ones that just drop right in for a point is a real boost and makes me want to work harder.”
Milstead noticed that the Cardinal defense timed everything really well, and its a testament to what Haurin has preached all season.
“[Defense] is an unglorified position,” Haurin said. “Our blockers do a great job up front, even when they just get a hand on it, there’s always someone there to back them up.”
Ellie Rafoth helped Canfield with 34 assists. Poland was led by Mackenzie Mulligan who had eight blocks and seven kills, Kayla Smith added 19 assists.