Carson High middle blocker Jeanette VanSickle admits this has been a rough season for the Senators' young volleyball team.
"It's been difficult," said Carson's junior middle blocker. "It's been tough."
Wins have been hard to come by for the Senators who have been plagued by a lack of cohesiveness and experience. Those issues seem to have gotten better in the last couple of weeks.
The improved chemistry showed Thursday night, as the Senators improved to 4-8 in the Sierra League with a 25-21, 25-19, 22-25 and 25-23 win over Galena at Morse Burley Gymnasium.
In all three Carson wins, the Senators looked like they might implode, but made some good plays down the stretch to hold off Galena.
The win avenged an earlier loss to the Grizzlies. Carson returns to action Tuesday at Fallon and at home against Douglas on Wednesday.
"They are playing much more like a team," coach Justin Malley said. "The last point (in the fourth game) was probably the best point they've played as a team. They played good team defense on that one."
The opening game was tied eight different times, the last deadlock at 14-all, which is when Carson got untracked.
Angela Augusta delivered a kill and Galena followed with two long spikes and one into the net, enabling Carson to grab an 18-14 lead. Tia McAllister-Daggs, off a nice pass by Elysse Virden, tipped one between Galena defenders for a 19-14 lead. Two kills by VanSickle and another by Virden put Carson's lead at 23-17.
That's when things went south for the Senators.
Two errant spikes and a ballhandling violation by Carson plus an ace by Emily Burns enabled the Grizzlies to trim the lead to 23-21.
Earlier in the year, Carson probably would have lost the game. Not this time. A service error followed by four Galena hits on a Carson spike ended the opening game.
Neither team could disengage itself in the second game. It was tied at 12 and 13 before Carson scored eight of the next 12 points to take a 21-17 lead. Two kills by Alyson Christl, two aces by Kendra Kupp and kills by VanSickle and Virden keyed the run.
Galena closed to 21-19 on an ace by Marissa Piccinni and a kill by Megan Schmauder.
Again, Carson appeared to be on the verge of folding, but didn't. Galena helped the cause with a couple of mistakes and Virden closed it out by blocking a spike attempt by Kelsey Gunderson.
"We would tighten up and then come back and then tighten up," VanSickle said.
Carson appeared headed for a sweep when it bolted to a 10-5 lead in the third game. Two aces and a kill by Augusta plus two kills by Virden led the way.
Galena scored 11 of the next 13 to grab a 19-14 lead as Schmauder contributed two kills, while Pate and Gunderson delivered stuff blocks during the comeback.
Galena never trailed again, although the Grizzlies allowed Carson to pull within 24-22 before closing out the game when Kristalee Wolfe's spike sailed long.
Carson jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the fourth game thanks to two aces by Wolfe and a kill by Augusta.
Galena fought back to tie the game at 12. The lead seesawed over the next several points. Galena went ahead 21-20 on an ace by Marin Sauer.
Carson toughened up and went ahead 23-21, as Virden delivered two big kills. The first was a hard, well-placed cross-court shot. The second was almost a back-handed push. Virden looked like she was going to bump the ball to a teammate and then she reached out and flicked it to an open area, totally catching Galena unaware.
Galena closed to 24-23 on a Gunderson spike, but another Virden kill ended the match. Virden had four of her team-high 12 kills in the final game.
"That was probably the best match Elysse has played from an attacking standpoint," Malley said.
The Carson coach was also pleased with the play of VanSickle, who had 12 kills and came up with clutch points time and again.
"I thought she was huge," Malley said. "I was surprised she only had 12 kills when I was doing the stats. I thought she would have had 20 considering all the good swings she had. Galena must have gotten a second touch on some of those."
VanSickle was happy with her effort, but more pleased about the win.
"I thought I played good, but I didn't play my best," she said.
The Senators got great floor games from August (20 digs), Christl (12) and Wolfe (18), who also served up four aces.