Prep volleyball | Manatee bounces back from loss in Venice against Lakewood Ranch
BRADENTON -- The day after Manatee suffered its first 3-0 loss since 2013, the Hurricanes gathered around Tony Cothron as the head coach reached for answers after a perplexing blowout loss in Venice.
The Canes were a day away from their regular season finale, then the postseason would begin. A year ago, Manatee entered its district tournament on a three-game win streak. Now, the Hurricanes were reeling with two losses in three matches.
"It wasn't a good way to kind of finish toward the end of the season," Cothron said. "They needed to decide whether they were going to start their momentum swing in the right direction."
In its final game before it hosts the Class 8A-District 6 tournament Tuesday, the defending state champion Canes finished their regular season with a convincing 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-23) win against Lakewood Ranch on Senior Night. The Hurricanes (22-3-1, 4-0) trailed for just a single point during the first two sets and rallied from an early hole in the third to enter the postseason with a decisive win.
The top-seeded Canes will open the postseason Tuesday against the winner of Monday's match between No. 4-seed Riverview and No. 5-seed Tampa Alonso. The Mustangs (9-8, 4-2 Class 7A-11) play again Saturday before host
ing Sarasota to open its district tournament Tuesday.
"We're still getting better because we're so young," Ranch head coach Perri Hankins said. "We're getting these harder matches to press us. We'll see even tougher hitters, tougher defense and just get us ready for anything Sarasota has."
On Thursday it meant contending with Manatee's two Division I-bound stars in their final regular season home game. Middle blocker Jacqui Armer, a Louisiana State commit, led the Hurricanes with 13 kills and added five blocks. Outside hitter Haley Coulter, who has pledged to Tulsa, added 10 kills.
The Canes' third senior starter, libero Kara Saylor, led the team with 18 digs. Defensive specialist Olivia Haughey, another senior, chipped in two.
Against Venice, Cothron watched an incomplete effort. When one player started to struggle, the lineup on the court couldn't survive. Players began to press.
He saw a different attitude Thursday. Manatee was once again loose like it was through 2014 and the early part of this season. Senior Night, he thinks, provided extra motivation.
"The girls tonight decided that whoever was on the court," Cothron said, "they were going to compete and play for them."
The final senior, Gillian Cassidy, was also at her best. The setter, who joined the starting lineup when Gabby Coulter was injured Sept. 21, handed out 34 assists. Coulter is expected to return for the district tournament.
"Once she comes back, the girls will start feeling a little more comfortable," Cothron said. "I think they felt really comfortable tonight with Gillian."
Lakewood Ranch, which had also been dealing with a crucial injury, returned to full strength against the Hurricanes. Junior Kahlee York, who injured her ankle Sept. 29, logged 13 kills in her first match back.
Junior Ande McDonald led the Mustangs with 15 digs. With McDonald anchoring the defense and an offense back at full strength, Ranch feels confident despite its loss, too.
"I don't feel bad about this at all," Hankins said. "We had a couple breakdowns in passing and that was the difference in the match."
This story was originally published October 16, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Prep volleyball | Manatee bounces back from loss in Venice against Lakewood Ranch ."