The Patriots boast two Division 1 bound hitters in
Lydia Chinchar (Kansas State) and
Elena Dibbs Frantz (Ole Miss) and a senior setter in Jansen War, but it was a couple of freshmen who made big plays when it counted in a second-set comeback that helped Carrollwood Day erase a five-point deficit.
"It's huge, we take all the pressure off those kids. Here's what we're
looking for, one block per game, one kill per game and don't make any
unforced mistakes," Carrollwood coach Doug Chinchar said. "And we work every day on that."
Carrollwood Day beat Coronado of Nevada 2-0 to win the gold bracket of the Florida Gem High School Classic on Saturday in Tampa. Kansas State commit Lydia Chinchar was tournament MVP. (PHOTO: Raymond Dimonda)
Up 1 set but down 20-15 in the second, the Patriots got a setter dump for a point before freshman
Madison Butters got a block and a few points later, with the score knotted at 22,
Lia Black contributed another block.
"When you have
three kids in Elena, Jansen and Lydia, you just need those kids to kind
of fill in the blanks," Doug Chinchar said.
The Cougars would take a 23-22 lead on a
Gentry Oblad (Grand Canyon) kill, but back-to-back kills from Chinchar gave Carrollwood set point where a Coronado hitting error ended the match.
Coronado coach Jaz Mau was proud of the way her team came together on the Florida trip and with the way they competed as they prepare for next week's Durango Fall Classic back home in Las Vegas.
"In a timeout I just told them it's now or never," Mau said. "Continue fighting. Don't get scared to swing, swing away when you can and then place the ball when we can't swing away and just be a smart player.
"We're going to take all the chemistry we built and put it right back on the floor."
For the match, Chinchar has 14 kills while Dibbs Frantz added seven. For Coronado, Purser had nine kills, Beckham added eight and Oblad have five.
And while Doug Chinchar said winning the match in two was nice, it was the first set that was crucial.
"We had to win that first game," he said.
Ole Miss commit Elena Frantz Dibbs hits for Carrollwood Day. (PHOTO: Raymond Dimonda)
In the first set neither team was able to sustain a run to break away as the match was tied six times. The biggest lead was 19-16 by Carrollwood before Coronado knotted the score at 22 on Purser's second straight kill off an overpass.
But he devised a plan in a timeout to go for the win up 24-23.
"We inverted our front row and instead of Elena
being on the left, she faked and went the other way," he said. "I think it freaked
them out a little and they had a miss hit and game over. We had to go
for the win."
The title gives the Patriots, who were No. 50 in the expanded volleyball rankings, momentum heading into the meat of their schedule.
"We're heading into the toughest part of our schedule. We go to Sunlake, then Calvary, then Plant and then Berkeley Prep. What I like about us is that everyone thought we'd be down after losing six kids and four of them are playing Division 1, but we're going to be just fine.
That was a good team in Coronado and we didn't budge."
Olivia Fuller, an eighth-grade libero, celebrates in Carrollwood Day's Florida Gem title game win. (PHOTO: Raymond Dimonda)
MVP - Lydia Chinchar, Carrollwood Day
Elena Dibbs Frantz, Carrollwood Day
Jansen Warbritton, Carrollwood Day
Julie Beckham, Coronado
Rachel Purser, Coronado
Open Gold
FinalCarrollwood Day 2, Coronado 0
25-23, 25-23
Third placeAcademy of the Holy Names 2, Winter Haven 0
25-16, 25-20
SemifinalsCoronado 2, Academy of the Holy Names 1
25-21, 16-25, 15-11
Carrollwood Day 2, Winter Haven 0
25-19, 25-7
Open Silver
25-13, 25-13
Third place
27-25, 25-17
Semifinals
Vero Beach 2, Sunlake 1
24-26, 25-17, 16-14
First Baptist Academy 2, Immaculata 0
25-13, 25-14
Carrollwood Day freshman Lia Black. (PHOTO: Raymond Dimonda)
