Tigers dump Warriors
CENTRAL FALLS — After two-plus decades at the helm, revered Tolman High head coach Roger Tow decided to step down from his position long before this fall season began, and newcomer Mike Haggerty has taken the reins.
Though at times stressed out by the new gig – who wouldn’t be, considering the track record Tow had – he claims he’s had a lot of fun learning about his new crew and what makes it tick.
He’s learning more every day, and night, as Tuesday would indicate. Haggerty and veteran assistant Candace Turner watched their senior-dominated Tigers excel during the middle and late stages of each game and eventually earn a tight 3-1 verdict over semi-rival Central Falls in a key Division II-B showdown.
Senior co-captain Julia Al-Amir manufactured a team-high eight aces and eight digs, while classmates Jasmine Brito Silva (11 blocks, five kills), Victoria Percy (six tips, four blocks, two spikes), Amsatou Diagne (five kills, four caroms), Aubarie Brown (nine aces) and fellow co-captain Maya Barbosa (three spikes, two digs) all made major contributions.
“This is my first year coaching girls volleyball here at Tolman, and the girls had to take some time to get used to me, and vice-versa, but we’ve had a great time,” Haggerty noted of the 25-22, 25-19, 23-25, 25-15 decision, one that pushed the Tigers to 5-4 in league action. “Obviously, Roger’s done a great job with this program, and the talent has always been fantastic here, compared to the court time they get (as opposed to USVBA club teams).
“I thought we played very well here,” he added. “I was very happy with our poise, as this is a really tough place to play, and CF is so well-coached. Val (Biascochea) does a great job … We had worked all week on trying to tip or push the ball over (6-5 senior standout middle hitter Ana Depina and try to keep their back row active.
“We wanted to make (that back row) beat us. I also loved the fact that Jasmine would challenge (De Sa Nogueira) in terms of blocking her, or attempting to hit it over her. We need that kind of attitude from our middle.”
Among those aiding in the CF effort were DePina (10 kills, four blocks), junior Jackeline Morales Villagran (15 aces, 15 digs), junior setter Jackie Jimenez (18 assists), classmate Beatriz Martins (nine digs, four spikes) and sophomore Ameliz Villegas (eight digs).
“The thing is, we’d be up early on in the first three games; we’d start real strong, but then we’d commit some unforced errors and fade,” Biascochea said afterward. “Then again, (Tolman) had some really strong serves, too.”
As stated, the Tigers had a tough time earning a lead in each of the sets, but once they did, they held on. The lone exception came in the third game, after the visitors gained a 23-22 cushion. Barbosa delivered a low serve to tie it at 23-all, then Martins served up two straight points, both of which resulted in unforced errors, to grab the 25-23 win.
As for the fourth, Morales Villagran earned three straight points on her serve to start it, and the Warriors kept the lead until Diagne took to the stripe. Thanks to two straight kills by junior Liscaury Ceballo, Tolman tied it at 6-6, and two more points gave it the 8-6 advantage.
CF came back to knot it twice more, at 8-8 and 10-10, before the Tigers slowly pulled away.
Following another Ceballo spike, one that gave THS the lead for good at 11-10, Brown drilled two straight aces, which resulted in a six-point flurry. That gave the visitors the 18-10 lead. Junior Jayne Assuncao’s three service points made it 22-11, and – despite a valiant comeback attempt by server Morales Villagran, who knifed it to 22-15 – Percy sealed the deal.
“I loved the fact we kept our energy up and kept fighting,” Biascochea stated. “I played a freshman (Caroline Gil) and a sophomore (Villegas) for the first time (Tuesday night), and they did really well. They contributed to the team (Gil had six digs and three aces), which was great.
“Still, we need to try to improve in every single practice,” she added. “This marks the end of the first half (of the campaign), and now we have to prepare for a trip to Pilgrim (slated for 6:30 p.m., tomorrow).”