Tigers claim first of two season meetings between rivals
The Analy Tigers made their case for West County high school volleyball supremacy on Sept. 5 in the Sonoma County League opener in Forestville, scoring a convincing win over cross town rival El Molino in straight sets; 25-14, 25-8, 25-21.
The much anticipated Apple Match played on the Lion’s home court wasn’t as competitive as expected from an El Mo standpoint, but will give the team added incentive for the rematch later this month.
“It was a rough night for the El Molino varsity,” Lion’s head coach Becky Sani said, before adding that the El Mo frosh and JV squads each scored wins against Analy.
The Tigers were led by Ava Ehnes with 15 kills, while other statistical leaders included Claire Rudderow (15 kills, 21 digs, 3 aces) and Ally Carter (4 aces). Although there were no official stats available for the Lions, top players included Tiger Berna, Sasha Senal, Kassidy Sani and Grace McCormick.
Lion’s busy week
The Lions were back on court two nights later at Healdsburg, falling to the Greyhounds in three sets; 24-26, 18-25, 12-25.
On Saturday, El Mo traveled to the Tamalpais Tournament in Mill Valley, posting two wins over San Rafael and one against Pratt, while falling to St. Patrick/St. Vincent and Convent for an overall record of 3-2.
“We improved our game a lot this weekend, working out kinks in our transition,” coach Becky Sani reported. “I’ve been playing around with line-ups and have finally settled on one that works best for us. It might have taken us the first few games but I think we’ve finally found our rhythm,” she added.
Scheduling notes
The Tigers (1-0, 3-2) will travel to Piner this Thursday, Sept. 14 while the Lions (0-2, 5-7) visit Elsie Allen. On Tuesday, Sept. 19, Analy plays host to Elsie Allen while the Lions entertain Petaluma. Match times beginning with the frosh are 4/5/6:30 p.m.
