BRAD HORN/Nevada Appeal Carson's Danae Eckart attempts a block in the Senator's game against Manogue at Morse Burley Gym in Carson City on Thursday.
It was a block party for the Carson High volleyball team, which looks to be coming together at just the right time.
Carson had 28 blocks in its best overall performance of the season in a 25-15, 25-16, 25-22 win over Manogue on Thursday at Morse Burley Gym. For the Senators (3-2), it was a confidence builder heading into its Sierra League opener at rival Douglas on Tuesday. "It should be very close," said Carson coach Shana Wilkins about the showdown with Douglas.
Nikki Keller had seven blocks, Sandie Howard had six blocks, Kailey Taylor had five blocks and Shannon Earwood and Danae Eckart each added four blocks against Manogue.
"We blocked awesome," Wilkins said. "That was our best blocking game of the season."
An ace by Mavil Diaz gave Carson a 17-10 lead in game one. The Senators then struggled with their serve receive as Manogue closed to within 17-14. But Carson nipped the rally in the bud, which was key said Wilkins, who wanted her team to stop having the ups and downs of a roller coaster that has plagued it so far this year.
"The were able to pick themselves up," Wilkins said. "We've been working on that."
Blaike King's kill, Earwood's kill and block and Lindsay Ford's ace began a 8-1 run to end the game. King finished off the game with an ace.
Morgan Nuckolls had two kills, Ford served an ace, Howard scored on a quick hit set up by Ford and Danae Eckart had a kill as Carson built a 6-1 lead. Another kill by Eckart helped Carson go up 11-4.
Manogue was able to close to within 11-8, but Carson again stopped the rally on kills by Eckart, Breanna Anderson and Nikki Keller and Anderson's ace as it went up 15-9. Katie McEwan's ace off the tape and Eckart's block and kill gave Carson a 24-14 lead.
Carson led 12-11 in game three when it began to take control on Nuckolls' kill off the tape, an ace by Diaz and Howard's kill. Nicole Carlevato's kill gave Carson a 24-18 lead.
Manogue pulled to within 24-22 before another quick hit by Howard off of Ford's set put the match away.
Eckart and Howard each had five kills and King had four kills, Ford had four aces and Diaz, King and McEwan all had two aces, Eckart, Hannah Hein and Angelica Blade all had three digs and Ford had 27 assists.
"I think this was a best team effort," Wilkins said. "Everybody played really well."
MANOGUE 2, CARSON JVS 1
Carson lost the junior varsity match, losing the third game 15-10. Kristina Diamond had eight kills, two digs, four aces and two blocks, Jamie Showalter had a kill, Christal Raius had two kills, one dig and one block, Samantha Hoch had six kills and two digs, Lisa Shores had four digs and 14 assists and Ashley Anderson added three digs.
CARSON FROSH 2, MANOGUE 1
Carson (5-0) won the freshmen match 13-125, 28-26, 15-10. Katie Carlevato had one kill and five assists, Sara Andersen had three kills, two digs, 10 aces, one block and nine assists, Kendra Krupp had four kills and a block, Bree Young had a kill, Skylar Petersen had two kills and an ace, Andrea Clutska had a kill, two digs and two blocks, Amanda Rupert had a dig and an ace and Alexis Church had an ace.