In a match against two teams as even as Cambridge and Dunwoody, momentum is bound to be a determining factor in the outcome. The Saturday, October 22nd match against Dunwoody lived up to the billing.
In the first set, the Bears hit the court like a freight train, with a first class defensive effort led by Paige Peterson, and a consistent offensive attack from the entire team. Cambridge opened up a sizable lead, only to let Dunwoody close enough of the gap in the final points of the set to prompt Coach Bunting to call timeout. That was what the team needed to finish off the set with a win, 25-18.
The unfortunate thing about momentum is she is a fickle mistress. And she doesn't take sides. This time, it was Dunwoody's turn, with their front row finding holes in the Bears' defense that weren't there in the first set. The ladies from Dunwoody gradually pulled away from the Bears and never looked back, finishing off the second set with a 25-17 win over the Bears.
Momentum chose to sit out this third, and pivotal set, as the stakes were just too high. The loser of this set would need to win back to back sets to win the match. Both teams brought their A game and the score throughout most of the set was reflective of that. Both sides made plays when they needed and the result was a final score that went well beyond the normal 25. Tie break after tie break prolonged the match, but the Bears eventually brought it to a close, finishing the set off, 32-30.
The 4th set was decided more by the Bears play than any magic the Ladies of Dunwoody were able to conjure. Despite a yeoman's effort by the entire team, the Bears committed too many errors and were out of system for far too many minutes to pull off a come from behind victory, as the Bears fell to Dunwoody, 25-20.
Tie breakers are usually exciting and the advantage almost always goes to the home team. But this was one for the ages, as the Bears played some of their best volleyball of the season; with contributions coming from all 6 positions on the court. It was about mid-set when the Bears put their foot on the gas and never let up. With assistance from a few unforced errors by the Dunwoody team, Cambridge closed out the match with a 15-8 finish!
The Lady Bears represented and would have made any Cambridge fan proud. They marched into hostile territory and came away with a 3-2 victory and a ticket to the final 4!
The Bears next challenge will be yet another away match against our arch rival, Alpharetta. The match is scheduled for Wednesday, October 26th at 6:30 pm. A win means a trip to the Championship. If you're free, come watch some of the best volleyball Georgia High School has to offer. They can use your support.
Go Bears!
