Exhausted Maidens ready home stretch

STEVENSVILLE - It's the long stretch part of the season for

volleyball teams in the area and with injuries, sickness and just

plain exhaustion setting it, success becomes more a matter of

focus.

STEVENSVILLE - It's the long stretch part of the season for volleyball teams in the area and with injuries, sickness and just plain exhaustion setting it, success becomes more a matter of focus.

"They kind of get tired of the long weekend," Ronan head coach Naomi Mock said.

Her Maidens (5-7 overall, 4-3 conference) dropped matches against Mission last Tuesday and Stevensville last Thursday, but both had less impact on the season since they were non-conference. Mock said she's trying to get some of her younger players into the games and reevaluate their job duties.

"The games were good, we just had some changes in personnel," she said.

Ronan dropped an 0-3 match with St. Ignatius, 18-25, 24-26, 22-25. Senior Tailyr Irvine led the Maidens with seven kills and senior Marissa McCrea collected 16 digs to go along with two service aces.

A cold gym and disruptive crowd affected Ronan on Thursday as they fell 3-1, with 21-25, 19-25, 25-23 and 19-25 scores.

"Volleyball is a mental game and when it got quiet in the gym there were some distractions that caused concern," Mock said.

Senior Alice Van Guten led the team with 14 kills and McCrea led the team in digs again with 20.

With districts looming and bodies starting to rebel - one player had a shoulder freeze up in Stevensville - Mock said that she had to keep her team focused and on target.

"I don't want them thinking too far ahead," she said.