Carson High volleyball: Senators’ streak at 10

The Carson High volleyball express keeps chugging along.

The Sierra League co-leaders stretched their win streak to 10 straight with a 25-16, 25-20, 26-28 and 25-21 win over Damonte Ranch Thursday night at Morse Burley Gym.

Carson improved to 11-1 in Northern Division 1 play. Carson visits Wooster Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Even the Senators seem a little giddy by their current win streak.

“I know I’m supposed to say I’m not surprised, but I am a little bit,” said junior hitter Juliana Anderson, who had 18 kills and 11 digs. “My freshmen and sophomore years weren’t even close (to this). I knew we’d be better this year, but 11-1 is incredible. If we play Carson volleyball, we’re capable of beating anybody.”

“I knew we had good players, but we were young,” Carson coach Robert Maw said. “I thought we’d be a year away. We’re still fighting through mental stretches. Kudos to Damonte. They showed a lot of heart and fought really hard. We didn’t play very good defense tonight. I was a little disappointed. I’m going to give the girls a long weekend. I think they need it.”

In all four games, Carson had big leads, and allowed Damonte to claw back. The third game was a tough one to swallow. Carson had a 16-8 lead only to lose 28-26.

“We definitely didn’t need it to be that intense,” Anderson said. “At least we were able to pull through and win the match.”

Makenzie Tucker started with three straight aces, helping the Senators roll to a 4-0 lead. After Damonte scored twice, Carson scored 12 of the next 16 points to grab a 16-6 lead. Jaycie Roberts (19 kills, 4.5 blocks, 17 digs) had two kills in the spurt as did Juliana Anderson. Kylie Riske, who had eight kills and three blocks, contributed an ace and two kills in that span.

“Kylie was huge tonight,” Maw said. “It might have been her best match of the season.”

Thanks to three kills by Meagan Carlson, the Mustangs charged back to 19-16 before Carson scored six straight to close out the match on two kills by Riske, one by Roberts, one by Anderson, an error by Carlson and a lift by Damonte.

Damonte scored nine of he first 13 points in the second set on the strength of four Shayna Wyatt kills. Carson went on a 7-0 run for a 16-14 lead thanks to two Roberts kills, one by Riske and three Damonte hitting errors. A kill by Carlson and an ace by Alyssa Carreon tied the set at 16. Kills by Roberts off a block and Anderson plus a hitting error by Damonte enabled Carson to go ahead 19-16. Morgan Waller scored two straight to make it 19-18.

A kill by Riske and two by Anderson, a block by Maddie Jergensen (7 kills, 4.5 blocks) and a Damonte error had Carson on the brink of going up 2-0.

Damonte scored four straight to make it 24-22 before Jergensen scored the game-winner.

In the third set, Carson broke open a 9-8 game with seven straight points for a 16-8 lead, as Jergensen and Anderson had two kills apiece, while setter Natalie Anderson (46 assists) served up an ace.

Damonte wasn’t through. Carlson had six kills, as Damonte roared back to tie the set at 19.

The set was tied at 22, 23, 24 and 25. Riske put Carson one point away from a sweep with a kill, but a lift, an ace serve by McKinley Thiede and a kill by Wyatt enabled the Mustangs to stave off elimination with a 28-26 win. Carlson was the key, as she continually changed speeds at the net, and Carson didn’t have an answer.

“I play club with Meagan, and I know what she’s going to do,” Anderson said. “In the heat of the game you forget to tell (or communicate) to everybody else. We should have done better.”

“We knew she was going to tip and dink (a lot),” Maw said. “If she goes for the (big) kill, we can put up the block. She did a good job.”

In the final set, Carson overcame a 17-16 deficit with six straight points on kills by Roberts, an ace by Roberts, kills by Juliana Anderson and Jergensen plus an error by Carlson. Waller stemmed the Carson momentum with a stuff block to make it 22-18. A kill by Juliana Anderson and a left-handed push by her little sister made it 24-18. Again, Carson had trouble closing it out. Two Carson errors plus a kill by Maddie Riccio made it 24-21. After a Carson time-out, the Senators closed out the match on a Damonte hitting error.