With two quality opponents on the schedule next week, Carson needed an easy night on the court.
The Senators got off to a slow start in the opening game, but bounced back for an easy 25-14, 25-12 and 25-18 sweep of Wooster Tuesday night at Morse Burley Gym in a Sierra League match.
Carson improved to 10-3 with three matches left in the regular season. The Senators, who are battling Damonte for second place, visit Galena Thursday at 6 p.m.
“I’m happy with the win,” Carson coach Robert Maw said. “I’m glad I was able to get all the girls off the bench.
“We were a little slow at first. I think we thought we could just show up.”
Wooster, in fact, led 7-4 thanks to four Carson errors and an ace by Gina Galvin. Carson battled back to take a 10-8 lead on two kills by Juliana Anderson, one by Jaycie Roberts, one by Maddie Jergesen and an ace serve by Allie Kibbe. Three CHS errors enabled the Colts to tie it at 11.
Carson, with Abby Pradere and Roberts at the service line, ended the first set with a 14-3 run. Both Pradere and Roberts served up two aces in the surge, and Jergesen added three kills. Kylie Riske and Roberts added a kill each.
Jergesen would finish with 11 kills.
“She was under the weather last week,” Maw said. “She is much better this week.”
Wooster led briefly, 6-5, thanks to two kills by Anne-Marie Vogede. The Senators scored 13 of the next 15 to grab a 17-7 lead. Anderson had two more kills, Natalie Anderson served up two aces, and Dajarrah Navarro added two kills.
“We’re still working to get Dajarrah a little quicker,” Maw said. “She played better tonight.”
Wooster closed to 19-10 thanks to a couple of kills by Maggie Mayer, who finished with 10.
Mayer took advantage of some mental lapses by the Senators in the back row.
Carson closed out the set with a 6-2 run, as Roberts added two kills and Jergesen added one.
“I’m happy to see Natalie and Jaycie connecting,” Maw said. “They continue to get stronger.”
The final set was tied five times before Carson took control, scoring 11 of the final 14 points.
A service error by Wooster tied the set at 15. Carson scored six straight to make it 21-15 on two aces by Roberts, two kills by Jergesen and one by Kibbe. Wooster shaved the deficit to 21-17 on kills by Mayer and Bailey Vollmer. A service error by the Colts and an ace by Makenzie Tucker made it 23-17. Ana Abramovich had a kill to make it 23-18, but Carson scord two straight to close out the match.
Currently Carson and Damonte are tied for second, but the Mustangs have a tiebreaker advantage.
“We need to take care of business and get some help,” Maw said. “We need somebody to beat Damonte Ranch.”