COUDERSPORT — It’s been eight years since the Coudersport volleyball team won back-to-back North Tier League titles.
And after Thursday night, the chances of the Falcons repeating this year are pretty slim.
Instead, Otto-Eldred moved into the driver’s seat with a 25-22, 25-18, 24-26, 25-20 victory which gave the Terrors, now 14-1, a regular-season sweep over Coudersport.
Emily Smith, who reached 1,000 career assists in O-E’s last outing, logged 32 more to go along with two aces as the Terrors took control with a pair of four-point runs in the deciding set.
Also for O-E, whose lone loss this season is to undefeated Portville, Camryn Thomas recorded
13 kills, three blocks and four aces, Alyssa Shelander chipped in with 12 kills, 16 digs and two aces and Ally Cousins added 11 kills and 17 digs.
“This feels great,” O-E coach Jame Thomas said. “These girls work so hard. If they get down in a match, they just fight back.
“We did a great job of running our fakes, drawing their kids one step off balance on a few occasions. It drew their blockers off just enough for us to take advantage of the situation.”
The Terrors, who are now 12-0 in NT play, still have league matches against Northern Potter, Port Allegany, Austin and Cameron County.
“We still have some work to do,” Thomas said. “The missed serves we had in the third set took all of the momentum we had right away. We have to do a better job of making sure our serves are in play.“But this win boosts our confidence. I think we needed a big match like this to get everyone focused on the stretch run.”
For Coudersport (11-2, 10-2), Joplin Osgood and Macy Gleason recorded 38 and 24 digs, respectively. Ally Easton added 11 kills and six blocks, Haley Keck came up with 27 assists and Ady Page recorded five kills and two blocks.
“We just couldn’t get our offense going tonight,” Coudersport coach Patty Wilson said. “We did not do a very good job of getting the ball to our setters and, because of that, I don’t care how good your players are at the net, you’re not going to get the ball to them.”
The Falcons still have league dates with Oswayo Valley, Austin, Cameron County and Galeton.
“I told my girls just now,” Wilson said. “You’re too good to let this game get in your heads.
“I said that they can either come out in our next match and work hard or give up. My girls aren’t the kind who give up.
“Besides,” Wilson added, “there’s a good chance we could see Otto-Eldred again once the District 9 tournament starts.
“We just have to look at what didn’t work tonight … and I think each girl can find things that she didn’t do well … and go after them.”
