Sage served dose of own medicine

Chris Yemma

Coming off a sweeping victory against Capistrano Valley Christian on

Friday, and a four-game win against Oxford earlier last week, the

Sage Hill School girls volleyball team experienced the other side of

the net on Tuesday.

Despite an improved lineup this season, the Lightning was swept in

three games, 25-22, 25-21, 25-16, by St. Margaret’s in Academy League

play at Sage Hill, giving the hosts their first league loss.

Sage Hill appeared to have a chance at the match after being down,

21-12, in the first game, and then rallying to come within 23-22. But

even the hometown crowd waving their green flags and willing their

team on every point could not help the Lightning overcome the brutal

kill spree the Tartans inflicted on them.

The Lightning (8-5, 2-1 in league) barely lost the first game, and

didn’t come as close in the next two games, as they lost for the

third time in a row to St. Margaret’s -- the first two losses coming

last season.

“They served really tough and I knew it was going to be one of the

hardest matches so far,” Lightning Coach Dan Thomassen said.

With only one senior on the team, who didn’t play Tuesday because

of an illness, Sage is a young team, and they expect a lot next year.

But in the biggest game of this season, the Lightning came up short.

Thomassen said that the biggest thing his team needed to improve

on against St. Margaret’s, and upcoming teams, was serving.

“We also have to get our middles going and get better blocking,

and that makes it easier for our defense,” he said.

The Tartans’ defense had no problems handling the usually potent

Sage Hill offense. Team co-captain and usual kill leader Cat Dailey

was held to seven kills, while other co-captain Vista Murphy led the

Lightning with 11 kills and 13 digs.

Dailey did step up her blocking game, though, rejecting eight

Tartan shots -- one that sparked the first-game rally and near

comeback.

Junior Haywood Wright rounded out Sage’s top performers with six

kills and six blocks.

Sage Hill faces Whitney at home at 5 p.m. Friday, but the team

hasn’t escaped St. Margaret’s firepower entirely this season.

Sage gets another shot at St. Margaret’s on Oct. 28, but Thomassen

said he isn’t going to change much for that match.

“We’re going to work on some harder serves for sure,” he said.

“They’re just a little bit ahead of us, so we have to keep getting

better.”