Tade, Honkers derail Orland express

The two teams took the court to the unmistakable riff of Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train," on Tuesday, but it was clearly Willows High at the wheel, as the Honkers engineered a 26-24, 15-25, 25-15, 25-15 victory over the rival Trojans.

And just like the aforementioned song, the match was punctuated by an outstanding solo performance.

With the match tied at a game apiece and Game 3 knotted at 15-15, Willows' Colleen Tade stepped into the spotlight.

Taking the ball at the service line Tade proceeded to lay down the next 10 service points, seven of which landed as aces, not only ending the game but giving the Honkers the momentum of a bullet train roaring down the tracks into Game 4.

"I just tried to get the ball on the court and hit the seams," smiled Tade about her service run. Like a train conductor striving to stay on time, Tade was quick to step up and continue firing.

"I was so eager, my rhythm was there," said the senior team captain.

Willows coach Carol Martin said of Tade's 10-spot, "That had a huge impact. It was a game-changer and got us back into our game."

While Orland coach Miranda Coughlin said her squad committed way too many errors on the night, the 10-point swing was not so much of what the Trojans were doing wrong, but rather what Tade was doing right.

"She's a good server and we couldn't read her topspin," the coach said, adding, "Kudos to her."

After Tade expanded her ace total with one off the top of the net to begin the fourth game, Orland played their way back in to trail just 7-5, after Jessica Miccio timed her jump for one of her four blocks, and Theresa Oakley put down a kill.

Willows then shifted into overdrive down the stretch, powered by a pair of kills from sophomore Ally Brunner and two from Sam Brott.

Orland came up with a brief three-point flurry late, with a Miccio kill followed by twin aces from Destiny Thompson, but the train had already left the station.

"They just kept going," Martin said. "We were really hitting and passing well the last game."

It was a disappointing night for the Lady Trojans, who over the weekend played the Honkers much closer in a three-game loss in the championship of the Durham Tournament.

""We had momentum going into Game 3 (after having won the second game), but we've been on a roller coaster all year when it comes to mental toughness," Coughlin commented. "That's something they have to do for themselves, I can't help with that."

She continued, "We're a good team, we just have to learn how to trust each other for the entire night."

Miccio and Layela Ealy each tallied six kills for Orland, with Liz Malagon supplying a trio of aces.

CONTACT Craig Purcell at 824-1036 or cpurcell@tcnpress.com.