Venice rallies from two sets down to end Manatee’s volleyball season
The first two times Manatee High and Venice High met in volleyball this season, the Indians swept the Hurricanes. But this match was different.
Manatee came out as the more aggressive team, took a big early lead and weathered Venice’s inevitable comeback. The Hurricanes even led 12-8 in the decisive fifth set.
But Venice’s experience, which helped the Indians overcome a two-sets-to-none deficit, also proved to be too much in the fifth. The Hurricanes made some late errors and saw their 12-8 lead evaporate.
This time Venice did not win running away. This time Manatee made it oh, so close. But as before, Venice prevailed.
The Hurricanes came out strong and looked to be a prevailing underdog. But the Indians rallied and captured the match 21-25, 24-26, 25-23, 25-19, 16-14 in the Class 8A-Region 3 semifinals Wednesday at Venice’s gymnasium.
“If you are going to lose, you want to lose in a match like this,” Manatee head coach Tony Cothron said. “I think we were (in control). We mishandled the ball a couple of times in key moments to push us over the top. They’re a good team. They are not going to roll over.”
Cothron said he told his team all season that whichever team won this match would likely go to the state tournament. Instead of the Canes, the four-time state champion Indians advance to play Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Palm Harbor University, continuing on the path to the state tournament later this month in Jacksonville.
“You have to take care of the business in front of you, but they fought hard,” Cothron said of his team. “I thought we had them in the fifth set, being up 12-8. We made a couple of setting errors, let them hit a couple of balls out of the middle that they should not have even gotten through. Congrats to (Venice coach Brian Wheatley). I hope they win state.”
“We kept our cool the whole time and it was just a matter of taking care of the ‘dash’,” Wheatley said. “Don’t worry about the end score — take care of what’s going on. We’re down 12-8 and we had some people step up and make some big plays.”
Manatee has eight seniors on its roster. All contributed Wednesday. Of the Coulters, Manatee seniors Gabby and Jojo, Wheatley said, “Those two twins over there are two of the most competitive kids I have ever coached against.”
The Hurricanes finish their season 19-8. Venice is 22-4.
This story was originally published November 1, 2017 at 10:21 PM with the headline "Venice rallies from two sets down to end Manatee’s volleyball season."